Rice Pilaf

Without wheat, side dishes are rather limited. I know I often want some sort of "starchy" side dish since I don't have a bun on my burger or a dinner roll with the pot roast. This recipe is one I was determined to work out based on the delicious rice pilaf sides at restaurants like Red Lobster and Cheddars. (Eating out is usually a chore rather than a treat, but the management and staff of these two local chains are excellent to work with.)

When selecting a rice for this dish, I prefer to use Par Excellence Garden Harvest Long Grain and Wild Rice Pilaf. It already has the blend I'm used to in the restaurant, plus a few bits of veggies in there, too. The recipe here is a bit different from the directions on the package.

Rice Pilaf
1 Tablespoon butter
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1/4 cup chopped onion
1 cup Garden Harvest or long-grain white rice
2 cups chicken or beef broth - depending on your main course
1 heaping teaspoon parsley, dried

Melt butter and olive oil together in a heavy saucepan. Saute onion until tender, then add rice. Stir and saute until rice is slightly golden brown (about 4-5 minutes). Add broth and parsley; season to taste with salt and pepper. Bring to boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 20 minutes. Fluff with a fork when done and serve.