Caramelised onion rice with cinnamon and pinenuts

Serves: 4
Course: Main
Cooking Time: 45 mins
Ingredients
  • 50g butter
  • 2-3 large onions (700g) peeled and sliced
  • 2 tbs water
  • 2 bay leaves, fresh if possible
  • 2 strips of orange peel
  • 1 tsp cinnamon or 2 cinnamon sticks
  • Drizzle of honey
  • 300g basmati rice, rinsed
  • Salt and pepper
  • 700ml chicken or vegetable stock
  • 60g pinenuts, toasted
  • Some chopped flat parsley

1 Melt the butter in an ovenproof pot and add the onions, water and bay leaves. Cover and cook gently for 15 minutes until the onions collapse, then remove the lid, turn up the heat to medium high and let them start to caramelise.

2 Stir the onions every two minutes or so, being careful to scrape any residue from the bottom of the pan until the onions turn golden brown.

3 Add the orange peel, cinnamon, honey, rice and seasoning then turn everything together.

4 Add the stock, bring to a simmer, cover then put in the oven for 20 minutes.

5 Remove from the oven, fork through and cover the pot with a tea towel and replace the lid for five minutes or so, to let the rice absorb the excess moisture and ensure the fluffiest result.

6 Serve with the pine nuts and parsley scattered over the top.

Paul Flynn

Paul Flynn

Paul Flynn is a chef, restaurateur and contributor to The Irish Times. He and his wife, Máire, run the Tannery restaurant and cookery school in Dungarvan, Co Waterford