Universal Pilaf

This recipe is more or less from The Tightwad Gazette III. (More or less because I do things a little differently than in the original recipe.)  It’s called Universal Pilaf because it’s just a recipe template, really, with many possible ways to put things together. You can use what you have and it always seems to turn out just fine.  This supposedly makes four servings, and there are four of us, but I always double the ingredients.  Draw your own conclusions.

• One cup of uncooked grain. Choose from brown or white rice, bulgar, couscous.  I usually use brown rice with a little Minnesota wild rice.
• Two tablespoons fat, either olive or other vegie oil or butter.
• Two or three cloves of garlic, minced.
• One small onion or three shallots or one small leek, diced.
• Two cups liquid: Chicken broth, beef broth, vegie broth, cooking water from boiled vegies, tomato juice or vegetable cocktail diluted with half water.  You can probably think of other possibilities.
  
• 1/2 to 2/3 cup cubed cooked meat or other protein: chicken, turkey, roast beef, steak, porkchop, pork roast, ground beef, leftover ground beef seasoned for tacos, white, red or black beans, etc. Half beans and half meat works well. The original recipe suggests white fish or canned tuna, too. 
  
• 1/2 cup vegetable: Frozen or fresh peas, frozen corn, thinly sliced or grated carrot,  green or red peppers, celery, etc.  Even finely chopped fresh spinach is okay.
• Seasonings according to your own taste and according to what goes well with your chosen meat and vegetable:  Salt and pepper, chervil, parsley, rosemary, chili powder, Worchestershire sauce, etc.

Heat fat in large skillet.  Add garlic and onion, shallots or leak; fry until tender.  Add the grain to the skillet and fry until it just begins to brown.  Pour in the liquid and bring to a boil.  Add the cubed meat or beans, along with your chosen vegetables and seasonings; stir and return to a boil.  Cover and cook until the grain is tender: about 15 minutes for white rice and up to 40 minutes for some of the whole grains.  Check periodically to make sure you don’t run out of liquid before the grain is tender.  Stir and serve.

Comments

[Kim from Hiraeth]

This reminds me of a "poor man's" paella. I have some leftover chicken in the fridge. I also have a pouch of Uncle Ben's brown rice ofthe"microwave-in-ninety-seconds" variety. I'm thinking I could tweak your recipe to make it even faster. . .

I'll let you know how it turns out. . .

: )

[Ellen B.]

I'll have to add this to my list to make. I'm thinking with all these great recipe ideas "dear" and I need to walk a little more to keep the weight at bay!