Passover and Easter are both this weekend, so I figured I’d create a light, Springtime dish that would be appropriate to serve for either holiday. I also wanted to make sure it could be enjoyed by vegans and omnivores alike, so I settled on this beautiful and delicious vegetable pilaf packed with fresh, seasonal produce. Since grains and even some seeds and legumes are a no-no for Passover depending on which part of the world you’re from, I’ve substituted cauliflower for the quinoa or rice you’d typically use in a pilaf. If there are vegans at the table or you’re strictly Paleo, you can use a nut-based cheese to replace the goat cheese (I love Kite Hill plain almond cheese).
This is a pretty easy recipe to pull together – the bulk of the “work” is in the dicing of the vegetables. (If you have solid knife skills your prep time will likely be shorter than what I’ve listed, but since most people don’t spend their days dicing vegetables I tacked on a few extra minutes.) It also happens to be a one-pan dish that cooks entirely on the stove top, which can be a huge help during holiday meal prep when you’re juggling oven space and facing a mountain of dishes in the sink.
I love the balance of flavors and variety of textures in this pilaf. It has aromatic leek and garlic, sweet fennel and carrot, fragrant herbs, peppery greens and radish, nutty pistachio, and a burst of fresh lemon. The cooked vegetables are tender, the fresh radish and toasted nuts are crunchy, and the cheese melts into the mixture to bind it together, adding a creaminess that’s reminiscent of risotto. This dish is downright delicious, and a perfect way to highlight spring vegetables.
Hungry? Me too. Let’s cook.
You’ll want to toast the pistachios in the pan you use for cooking the pilaf – I recommend a dutch oven or large, high-sided sauté pan. Spread the pistachios in a single layer and set the pan over medium heat. You’ll toast the nuts for about 5 minutes, stirring frequently, until they’re browned in spots.
See? A little toasty, and the color is a bit warmer and more yellow – that’s what you’re going for. Transfer them to a bowl to cool while you get to work on those vegetables.
Grate the cauliflower on the medium sized-holes of a box grater to break it down into small bits that are approximately the size of grains of rice. You should have about 4 cups of riced cauliflower.
Cut the leek, carrot, and fennel into small dice.
Combine the diced vegetables in a bowl with the minced thyme.
Cut the radishes into small dice. Aren’t these watermelon radishes stunning? I always grab some when I see them at the farmers market or grocery store, and then I look for any excuse to use them.
Roughly chop the cooled pistachios, and set them aside. See how the pieces are various sizes and still relatively large? That’s a rough chop.
Set your pan over medium heat, and add the oil. Once the oil is hot (you should see it start to shimmer), add the leek, carrot and fennel mixture and a generous pinch of salt. Stir everything together and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables begin to soften. Add the garlic and cook until it smells fragrant, about 30 seconds.
Add the stock, cauliflower, and a teaspoon of salt, and cook the mixture, stirring frequently, for about 5 minutes or until the vegetables are tender and the stock is absorbed. The cauliflower will be very moist, but you shouldn’t see any liquid in the bottom of the pan. You can see in the photo that the cauliflower rice is nicely plump from absorbing the stock.
Stir in the arugula and tarragon, and cook just until the arugula is wilted, about 30 seconds. If you’re using radish greens instead of arugula they may need an extra 30 seconds to wilt down.
Take the pan off the heat and stir in the cheese – make sure you distribute it well as it melts into the pilaf. Add the radishes, pistachios, lemon zest, dill, and parsley, and toss everything together. Taste the mixture and season to your liking with salt, freshly ground pepper, and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice if desired. Transfer to a serving bowl, and enjoy!
Wishing you all a happy and healthy holiday, whichever one you’re celebrating.
- 35 g (¼ cup) raw pistachio kernels
- 1 lb cauliflower florets (from ½ medium 6-inch head, trimmed and cored)
- 30 ml (2 Tbsp) extra virgin olive oil
- One leek (8 oz), white & light green parts only, washed well
- 1 small fennel bulb (6 oz)
- 140g carrot (2 large), trimmed and peeled
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves, minced
- 3 oz radish (4 medium), scrubbed
- Kosher salt
- 2 teaspoons minced or grated garlic (2 large cloves)
- 150 ml (½ cup + 2 Tbsp) vegetable stock
- 3 oz (2 tightly packed cups) baby arugula*
- 1 tsp minced fresh tarragon
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 1 Tbsp lemon zest (from 1 medium lemon)
- 1 Tbsp finely chopped fresh dill
- 1 Tbsp finely chopped fresh Italian parsley
- 3 oz (½ cup) crumbled goat cheese or dairy-free alternative
- Toast nuts: Spread the pistachios in an even layer in a dutch oven or large high-sided sauté pan, and toast over medium heat, stirring frequently, until toasted in spots, 4-5 minutes. Transfer nuts to a bowl to cool while you proceed with the vegetables.
- Prep vegetables: Grate cauliflower on medium holes of box grater to break down into small bits that look like rice. You should end up with about 5 cups of “rice.” Set aside.
- Trim off and discard the root end of the leek, and cut the leek into small dice; you should have about ¾ cup. Trim the core from the fennel bulb and discard. Cut the fennel into small dice; you should have about 1 cup. Cut the carrot into small dice; you should have about 1 cup. Combine Leek, fennel, and carrot with thyme in a bowl and set aside.
- Cut radishes into small dice - you should have about ½ cup - and roughly chop the cooled pistachios; set aside.
- Cook pilaf: In a dutch oven or large high-sided sauté pan, heat oil over medium heat. Add leek, fennel, carrot, thyme, and a generous pinch of salt; sauté until vegetables being to soften, about 4 minutes.
- Add garlic and sauté for 30 seconds minute, stirring frequently, until fragrant.
- Add vegetable stock, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, and cauliflower. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes or until cauliflower is tender and stock is absorbed (cauliflower will be moist, but you shouldn’t see any free liquid in the pan). Stir in arugula and cook just until wilted, about 30 seconds.
- Remove from heat and stir in cheese, being sure to distribute thoroughly as it melts in. Add diced radish, chopped pistachio, lemon zest, dill, and parsley, and toss to combine. Taste and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper, and finish with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice if desired.
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