Armenian rice
01.5.2011 
I made this side dish for the sole purpose of pairing it with my Pomegranate-Glazed Salmon. Because Armenian Rice is what the recipe book recommended I eat the salmon with. My whole reason for taking on this cooking challenge is to step away from my comfort zone. In the case of this rice dish, I most definitely did that. Never in a hundred years would I have picked this recipe out of a cookbook on my own. When I read through the ingredients, I knew it must be fate. It required the EXACT amount of pine nuts I had sitting on the shelf in my spice cupboard. I refuse to let those expensive nuts go to waste!
So, here you go. Armenian Rice. A side dish that helped me to expand my cooking horizons.
(Source: Food & Wine Annual Cookbook 2010)
In a large pot (or skillet), melt 1 1/2 sticks of butter.
Stir in:
3 oz. vermicelli or angel hair pasta, broken into 2-inch lengths (1 cup)
1/2 cup pine nuts
Cook over high heat until golden brown, about 3 minutes.
Add:
4 cups long-grain white rice
8 cups chicken stock, warmed
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground white pepper
Cover and cook over low heat for 25 minutes, until the rice is tender and the stock has been absorbed.
Uncover, fluff with a fork and cover again. Let stand for 20 minutes.
Stir in half of a 1/3 cup of fresh, thinly sliced mint leaves (reserve the other half). Season with salt and pepper.
Garnish with the remaining mint and serve!
Reader Comments (3)
Excellent recipe, I like the ingredients used in addition to the presentation is very good. thanks for sharing.
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Freshly ground white pepper is my favorite ingredient in this recipe, I would like to tasted it as soon as possible, I will buy all the ingredients in the grocery safemeds in my town!
I loved the flavor, it turned out perfect thanks for sharing! except I wasn't a fan for texture of the long angel hair pasta in there. Next time, I might use rice with orzo pasta...