Brown Rice with Nuts, Dates and Mint

• Recipe by Melissa Rubel

To give this rice dish added richness, stir in the juices from a roasted chicken.

Ingredients

1. 1 cup brown rice
2. 1 3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons water
3. 8 pitted dates, coarsely chopped
4. 2 tablespoons blanched almonds
5. 2 tablespoons blanched hazelnuts
6. 2 tablespoons roasted pistachios
7. 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
8. 2 tablespoons coarsely chopped flat-leaf parsley
9. 1 tablespoons chopped fresh mint
10. 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
11. 1/2 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
12. Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350°. In a medium saucepan, combine the rice with the water and bring to a simmer. Cover and cook over low heat for 50 minutes. Add the dates, cover and remove from the heat. Let and let stand for 10 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, spread the almonds and hazelnuts in a pie plate and toast in the oven for about 8 minutes, until light golden and fragrant. Let the nuts cool, then coarsely chop them with the pistachios.
3. Gently fold the chopped nuts, butter, parsley, mint, lemon juice and lemon zest into the rice. Season with salt and pepper and serve.

Serve With

Roasted poultry, such as chicken, duck or quail.