This year’s Christmas holiday deserves a little extra attention. Cheer yourself up with an easy delicious cherry inspired recipe.
Ingredients:
- 400g basmati rice
- 200g fresh or frozen cherries pitted
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 2 tbsps butter
- 3 tbsps vegetable oil
- 3 tbsps Greek yogurt
- large pinch saffron threads crushed
- 50g chopped blanched almonds
- 2 tbsps chopped parsley
- 2 tbsps chopped fresh dill
Method:
- Wash the rice 2-3 times in a large bowl of water until the water comes out clear. Drain and set aside. Bring a large pot of water to boil. Heavily salt the water and add the rice. Boil until al dente, about 5-6 minutes. Drain and rinse with cold water.
- While the rice is cooking, Place the cherries in a saucepan with the cinnamon. Bring to a boil and then lower the heat. Saute for 7-8 minutes and then remove from the heat.
- Using a heavy skillet or frying pan, about 25-28cm wide, place a large piece of non-stick baking paper in the bottom. Add the butter, saffron threads and vegetable oil and gently melt. Turn off and set aside.
- In a small bowl, mix two good handfuls of the cooked rice with the Greek yogurt. Press this mixture into the bottom and sides of the frying pan.
- Mix the remaining rice with the cherries, the liquid and the almonds. Press this into the frying pan.
- Turn the heat on the lowest setting your hob will go. Use a wooden spoon handle to make holes into the rice mixture, pressing it all the way to the bottom of the pan. This will allow the steam to release while the rice crisps.
- Cook for 25 minutes uncovered. When ready to eat, place a large platter over the rice. Using oven gloves, carefully flip the rice over.
- Sprinkle with the chopped parsley and dill.
Jennifer Joyce is a food stylist and chef. She currently contributes to BBC Good Food, Sainsbury’s Magazine, Waitrose Magazine, Tesco Real Food, and Slimming World. She has also written 10 cookbooks, with over 275,000 copies sold.
For more information: [email protected]
