Rice Pilaf, French Army, 1940

-

 Rice Pilaf, French Army, 1940

 

Rice Pilaf was listed as a suggested accompaniment to Boeuf a l’Algérienne (Algerian-style Beef) in French military cooking manuals. I will post the recipe for Boeuf a l’Algérienne within the next few days. 

 

Rice Pilaf, French Army, 1940

(Riz au Gras, dit Pilaff)

 

This rice pilaf recipe recommended the use of unpolished rice (i.e., brown rice) from Indochina (the nations of Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia), if it was available. Please note that the amount of stock, broth or water given in the recipe is a recommended amount. Refer to the cooking instructions for the particular brand of rice that you are using and adjust as needed. If not using brown rice, use long grain white rice and reduce the cooking time to 20 minutes. 

 

Yield: 4 servings        

 

U.S.                     Metric                     Ingredients

1.5 fl oz/3 tbsp             40 g                             lard, margarine, shortening or oil

4.25 oz                        120 g                       rice, dry and clean

0.35 oz/1 fl oz*            10 g                         onion

1 clove                         1 clove                     garlic

½ tsp                           4 g                               coarse salt

to taste                        to taste                         black pepper, finely ground

8 fl oz                      240 ml                     stock, bone broth or water

* volume is for finely chopped onion.

 

Procedure

1.      Chop fine the onion and garlic (approx. 1/4" pieces).

2.      Boil the stock or water.

3.      Put the lard in a separate pot. Add the rice, heat, and with a wooden spatula, stir until the rice is a glossy ivory color and begins to crackle slightly.

4.      Add the garlic, onion, salt and pepper, stir.

5.      Carefully pour the boiling stock or water into the pot with the rice so that it separates the rice. Stir one last time.

6.      Cover the pot and reduce the heat to low.

7.      Let the rice cook for 30 to 35 minutes without stirring it or opening the pot.

8.      After this time, remove the pot from the heat. The liquid should be completely absorbed and the rice cooked to perfection.

9.      Serve with a slotted spoon and spread the rice on the plates with a fork.

 

Variations

 

Curry Rice (Riz au curry)

As for the basic rice pilaf recipe, but add at the same time as the garlic, onion, salt and pepper:

1 tsp                        4 g                       curry powder

 

Rice Milanese (Le Riz a la Milanaise)

As for the basic rice pilaf recipe, but add to the boiling liquid and mix well:

2.5 tbsp                        40 ml                         tomato paste

Before serving, sprinkle with:

0.7 oz (1/4 cup)             20 g                         gruyere cheese, grated

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

“C-Rat” Pound Cake, US Army, 1958-1980

-
Image
  MCI (“C-Rat”) Pound Cake, US Army, 1958-1980   After 1958, the US military ended procurement of C-Rations. The replacement was the Meal, Combat, Individual (abbreviated MCI), which was produced from 1958 until 1980, when they began to be phased out of service in preparation for replacement by another gustatory delight, the MRE. The MCI was not the same as the C-Ration, and was never officially designated as such. Although MCI cases were marked with a large “C”, it was not because they were C-Rations. “C” was the U.S. Armed Forces subclass designation for Combat Rations under the category of supply Class I -  Subsistence. Subsistence subclasses were: A - Nonperishable C - Combat Rations R - Refrigerated S - Other Nonrefrigerated W – Water   But history has shown us that soldiers have always been, and continue to be, practical and pragmatic creatures. Here the train of thought was that if it looks like a C-Rat, it tastes like a C-Rat, it comes in cans like a C-Rat, a...
Read more

Maconochie Stew, British Army, WW1

-
Image
  Meat & Vegetable Ration (M and V Ration), aka Maconochie Stew, British Army, 1900-1918   22 ounces of  M&V Ration (reproduction)    From the late 1800s until World War 2, the British Army contracted several commercial canneries to produce the “Meat and Vegetable Ration”. Most famous of these was the Maconochie company, whose name became universally applied to the M and V Ration. As with many military rations throughout history, in World War 1 Maconochie was overused and often eaten cold, which led to its being awarded a perhaps undeserved reputation as a culinary perversion.   The directions on the can stated that “Contents may be eaten hot or cold”, and that the unopened can should be heated in boiling water for 30 minutes. Under most frontline circumstances, this method of heating would prove to be a ludicrous recommendation. The average Tommy of the First World War would undoubtedly have not-so-politely begged to differ about the “eaten cold” s...
Read more

Tushonka Recipe, 1941

-
Image
  Tushonka, Soviet Army & Navy, 1941 Reproduction tushonka labels. Tushonka is a Russian canned stewed and spiced meat, most commonly pork or beef.  285 million pounds of pork tushonka were produced in the United States during WW2, to Soviet specifications, for Lend-Lease shipment to the USSR.  Tushonka is more fatty and gelatinous than either corned beef or SPAM (another great Lend-lease delicacy). Tushonka was commonly used in recipes with buckwheat, potatoes or pasta, or eaten with bread. Tushonka was also adopted as a Soviet Army slang term for tank crew members.       The canned version of tushonka was what was used in military cooking, but it may be difficult to find in many areas of the U.S. This recipe that will produce an authentic tushonka to use in Soviet recipes from the WW2 era..       Do not add more water than is called for in the recipe. As long as you do not overheat the pot, the liquid from the meat will b...
Read more