Rice Pilaf.
1/3 cup butter or hard margarine
1 cup, lightly packed, finely diced leeks or scallions
1 cup finely diced sweet peppers, in a mixture of colours
2 or 3 cloves of garlic, minced (or more, depending on your tastes)
1 1/2 tablespoon chicken bouillon powder
1 cup long grain white rice (I use a parboiled rice)
2 cups (slightly less than 2) water
salt and pepper to taste
Melt the butter or margarine in a medium sized saucepan. Add the vegetables and saute until slightly browned, for more flavour. Add in the rice and stir well. Allow the rice to cook for about a minute, stirring constantly. Add the water and bring it all to a boil. Cover the pot immediately with a lid or a piece of foil, then put it in the oven and bake at 350 or 375 for about 45 minutes. Try not to uncover it and peek.
The range in temperatures is so that you can put it in with whatever else you are cooking. It doesn’t have to be taken out in exactly 45 minutes, either. Once the moisture is absorbed, the rice can hold for a few extra minutes.
