This stunning rice pilaf celebrates spring’s vibrant flavours with tender asparagus, tangy goat’s cheese and fragrant herbs. Topped with crunchy seeds and nuts, it makes an impressive side dish for any occasion.
Ingredients
Method
Heat the oil and butter in a large heavy-based saucepan over medium heat. Add white part of the green onion, garlic and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring for 4 minutes. Add the rice and stir to combine. Add stock and bring to the boil. Cover with a tight-fitting lid and reduce the heat to low. Cook for 12 minutes.
Scatter the asparagus, raisins, sunflower seeds and pepitas over the rice. Cover with lid and allow to stand for 4 minutes to steam the asparagus.
Add lemon rind, juice, parsley, mint, remaining green onion and fluff with a fork.
Top the rice pilaf with pistachios pepitas and goat’s cheese to serve.
What is pilaf?
This aromatic rice dish has Persian origins, though variations exist across cultures. The rice is prepared in flavoured broth or stock alongside spices, and sometimes vegetables or protein.
What to serve with rice pilaf
This rice pilaf is great served on its own, or as a tasty salad side to a simple dinner spread or barbecue feast.
How to prepare asparagus
Some cooks say to snap the ends off, however in the Test Kitchen we aren’t fans of this method as it wastes more of the spears.
Instead, for this rice pilaf recipe, we suggest trimming about 2cm from the bottom of each spear to remove the tough fibrous ends. Peeling is unnecessary for green asparagus but benefits white asparagus spears should you chance on these.
