Strawberry Pilaf or Strawberry Rice is an unusual, fresh and colourful, recipe. It’s delicious, a little bit different, and very easy to make – perfect for a special occasion. Chef Homam Ayaso (aka @Homamino) is on a journey to create bespoke recipes using premium European Rice, in his new series ‘Everything Rice’, and here is one to tickle the taste buds.

Strawberry Rice Recipe using European Rice

Prep Time: 15 Min

Cook Time: 20 Min

Servings: 4

Ingredients:

• 2 shallot onions
• 3 cloves of garlic
• 1 litre of vegetable broth
• 100ml (1/2 cup) of white wine
• 350g (1 3/4 cup) of premium quality European Rice
• 350g (1 1/2 cup) of strawberries
• 40g of unsalted butter
• 50g (1/2 cup) grated Parmigiano cheese
• 3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
• Salt and pepper
• Nutmeg
• Roasted hazelnut to garnish

Instructions:

First prepare a vegetable stock, if you don’t already have it. Vegetable stock should not be too aromatic. Carrot, celery and a small onion in 1.5 litres of lightly salted water is enough. Boil for at least 40 minutes. You are going to use the broth to cook the risotto, slowly, letting the rice absorb it little-by-little. Meanwhile, wash the strawberries then dry them well. Remove the green tuft and cut them into small pieces. Keep a few whole strawberries for the final decoration.

Chop the onion and garlic then sauté over a medium heat in a pan with 3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil. Add the rice and cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring constantly, until the grains are slightly glassy.

Then add the white wine, stir and let it evaporate, over a high heat. Then add hot vegetable stock with a ladle. At first, there will be a sizzle as part of the stock, in contact with the hot pan, evaporates. Immediately add another ladle of stock. During cooking, the rice must always be covered with stock; in this way it releases the starches and the grain does not break.

Halfway through cooking, after about 8 minutes, add half of the chopped strawberries, stirring constantly. The strawberries will become creamy and give the rice its characteristic colour.

When the rice is cooked, after another 8-10 minutes, turn off the heat. Add grated Parmigiano cheese and butter. Stir to combine and finish by decorating with the remaining strawberries and roasted hazelnut.

ABOUT EUROPEAN RICE

European Rice is high quality rice grown in Greece since the 1950s and other European countries. There are two varieties: Indica Rice (long rain) and Japonica Rice (medium grain). European Rice has a high nutritional value, being rich in B vitamins, such as Niacin, Thiamine, Riboflavin and Selenium. The EU is both self-sufficient and a net exporter of Japonica rice. All European rice complies with the Integrated Quality Management System for the Agricultural Production of Rice, which is based on good agricultural practices which respect the environment, protect the producer-grower’s health and offer a healthy and safe product for consumers. For more information see: https://www.europeanrice.eu/

Disclaimer: Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Research Executive Agency (REA). Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.