Creamy rice with seared leek, dried apricot, and light saffron cream with toasted almond

Name: Creamy rice with seared leek, dried apricot, and light saffron cream with toasted almond
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 55 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: Mediterránea contemporánea
Ingredients: 11.3 oz Short-grain rice; 10.6 oz Leeks; 2.8 oz Dried apricots; 4.2 oz Yellow onion; 2 cloves Garlic; 4.6 cups Vegetable stock; 0.4 cup Dry white wine; 0.5 cup Cooking cream; 1.8 oz Grated aged cheese; 1.2 oz Sliced almonds; 1.8 tbsp Butter; 2 tbsp Extra virgin olive oil; 1 pinch Saffron threads; 1 unit Lemon; 1 tbsp Fresh thyme; 1 tsp Salt; 1/2 tsp Black pepper

An original, elegant creamy rice that combines the gentle sweetness of golden seared leek and dried apricot with a light saffron cream and the crunchy finish of toasted almonds. Balanced, aromatic, and comforting.

20 minPrep

35 minCook

55 minTotal

4Servings

Vegetarian

Ingredients

Adjust servings

320 g Short-grain rice (tipo bomba or similar)
300 g Leeks (solo the parte blanca and verde clara, en medias lunas)
80 g Dried apricots (chopped finely)
120 g Yellow onion (chopped fina)
2 cloves Garlic (chopped)
1100 ml Vegetable stock (hot)
100 ml Dry white wine (optional pero recomendado)
120 ml Cooking cream (or cream light)
50 g Grated aged cheese (tipo manchego curado or parmesano)
35 g Sliced almonds (unsalted)
25 g Butter (divided)
30 ml Extra virgin olive oil
0.2 g Saffron threads
1 unit Lemon (zest fina of medio lemon and 1 tsp of zumo)
4 g Fresh thyme (solo the leaves)
6 g Salt (or to taste)
1 g Black pepper (freshly ground)

Nutrition facts

per serving

512 kcal

Calories

11.8 g

Protein

62.4 g

Carbs

21.7 g

Fat

4.6 g

Fiber

57.8 g

Net carbs

Approximate nutritional information. Estimated from the recipe’s ingredients and amounts, using standard reference nutrition values. It may vary with brands, sizes and cooking method. For guidance only; not a substitute for medical or dietary advice.

Allergens

DairyTree NutsSulfites

Instructions

1
1. Heat the vegetable stock in a small saucepan over low heat and keep it hot without boiling. Add the saffron threads to the stock and let them infuse while you prepare the rest.
2
2. Toast the sliced almonds in a wide skillet or shallow pot without oil for 2 to 3 minutes over medium heat, stirring until golden. Remove and set aside.
3
3. In the same pot, add 1 tablespoon of olive oil and 10 g butter. Add the leeks and cook for 6 to 8 minutes over medium heat until tender and deeply golden around the edges. Season with a pinch of salt and black pepper. Remove one-third of the leeks for the final garnish and set aside.
4
4. Add the chopped onion to the pot with the remaining leeks, pour in the remaining tablespoon of olive oil, and cook for 4 minutes over medium heat until translucent. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds more.
5
5. Add the short-grain rice and toast it for 1 to 2 minutes, stirring so it is well coated. Pour in the dry white wine and cook for 1 minute until the alcohol has mostly evaporated.
6
6. Stir in the chopped dried apricots and add about one-third of the hot saffron stock. Cook over medium heat, stirring often. As the rice absorbs the liquid, keep adding the remaining stock gradually over 16 to 18 minutes, until the grains are tender with a slight al dente bite.
7
7. While the rice cooks, mix the cooking cream with the finely grated zest of half the lemon, 1 teaspoon lemon juice, the thyme leaves, a pinch of black pepper, and the grated aged cheese in a bowl.
8
8. When the rice is cooked and creamy, turn off the heat. Stir in the cream and cheese mixture along with the remaining 15 g butter. Mix vigorously for 1 minute to emulsify and adjust the texture. Taste and adjust salt if needed.
9
9. Let the rice rest for 2 minutes. Serve immediately and top with the reserved leeks and toasted almonds for texture contrast.
10
10. If you want a warmer finish for the serving plates, you can preheat them in the oven at 140 °C / 285 °F for 5 minutes before serving.

Chef tips

For the best texture, add the stock gradually and keep stirring during the final minutes. Chop the dried apricots finely so they blend in without overpowering the dish.

Substitutions

You can substitute the almonds with hazelnuts if specific tree nuts are not a concern. The aged cheese can be replaced with Parmesan or a vegetarian hard cheese. If you prefer not to use wine, replace it with the same amount of hot stock plus a few extra drops of lemon juice.

What I used to make it

Generic kitchen tools that work for this recipe. You don’t need to buy anything to make it.

Illustrative image
Cosori Pro LE 5 Qt Air Fryer
Browning and baking with little oil
- Browns food with very little oil
- Handy for vegetables, chicken and reheating
- Check the basket capacity
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Illustrative image
TempPro TP19H Digital Thermometer
Checking doneness of meat and chicken
- Checks doneness of meat and chicken
- Quick reading
- Clean the probe after each use
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Illustrative image
T-fal Ultimate Hard Anodized 12" Non-Stick Pan
Eggs, omelets and stir-fries
- Eggs and omelets that don’t stick
- Comfortable, sturdy handle
- Use wooden or silicone utensils
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