French cuisine · Dough, Pasta & Rice

French-Style Rice Pilaf

Long-grain rice sweated translucent in butter and cooked in the oven in chicken stock until every grain falls apart separately.

Ingredients · for 4 servings

• 300 g long-grain rice
• 1 onion
• 50 g butter
• 600 ml chicken stock
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 sprig thyme
• 1 tbsp butter to finish
• Salt, white pepper

Instructions

1. Do not wash the rice, just pick it over - the clinging starch gives it a slight sheen later; finely dice the onion.
2. Preheat the oven to 180 °C top/bottom heat and bring the chicken stock to a boil in a pot.
3. Melt the butter in an ovenproof pot and sweat the diced onion over low heat for 4 min. until translucent but not browned.
4. Add the rice and sauté, stirring, for 2-3 min. until the grains are coated in fat and appear milky white at the edges.
5. Pour in the boiling stock all at once, add the bay leaf and thyme, season with salt, bring to a boil once, cover the pot with a lid and place in the oven for 17-18 min. without stirring in between.
6. Remove the pot, discard the bay leaf and thyme, fluff the rice with a fork, mix in the remaining butter and serve as a side dish seasoned with white pepper.