Recently, we had the opportunity to sit down with the celebrated chef Nigel Slater to explore one of his vibrant and luxurious rice dishes, bursting with exotic flavors.
Nigel kicked off the conversation by sharing his method for preparing the dish. He suggests starting with two yellow peppers. “Slice them in half and remove the seeds, stems, and cores,” he explained. Next, heat three tablespoons of olive oil in a shallow pan. Add the peppers, cover with a lid, and cook over moderate heat until they soften—this usually takes about 20 minutes, but he humorously advised to check on them regularly.
When it comes to the essential base of the dish, Nigel is keen on the brown basmati rice. “Rinse 120 grams of it in warm water, swirling the grains with your fingers until the water looks slightly cloudy,” he recommended, adding with a chuckle that he often saves that water for his garden. This rinsing should be done a couple of times. Afterward, cover the rice with water, ensuring it sits about three centimeters above the grains. He also emphasizes, “Don’t forget to season it with half a teaspoon of sea salt, six black peppercorns, and half a cinnamon stick.” Once that’s done, set the pot over moderate heat, bring it to a boil, cover it, and then lower the temperature to let it simmer.
According to Nigel, the rice will take about 15 minutes to cook until tender while still maintaining a bit of firmness. After cooking, let it rest off the heat with the lid on for an additional 10 minutes for optimal texture.
Moving on to the artichokes, Nigel recommends slicing 250 grams of preserved artichokes in half and gently warming them up with the softened peppers. To brighten the dish, he suggests finely grating the zest of a small lemon and chopping six sprigs of dill, adding that these ingredients complement the peppers beautifully.
Once the rice is ready, drain any excess water and fluff it with a fork to separate the grains. Then, mix the rice with the peppers, dill, lemon zest, and artichokes, making sure to adjust the seasoning as necessary. For an extra punch of flavor, drizzle over the pan juices from the sautéed peppers and finish with a squeeze of lemon juice to balance the dish’s sweetness. This delightful recipe serves two and can be whipped up in about 30 minutes.
Interestingly, Nigel also mentioned that for those who want to experiment, freekeh, couscous, or bulgur wheat can easily substitute the rice.
For more of Nigel’s culinary adventures, you can check him out on Instagram @NigelSlater.