Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil

1/2 cup finely chopped onion

2 garlic cloves, thickly sliced

1 bay leaf

1/4 cup currants

1/4 cup toasted pine nuts

1/8 teaspoon saffrom powder or tumeric

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon cumin

1 cup long-grain white rice

1/2 cup white wine

1 1/2 cups Chicken Stock

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon black pepper

2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint or Italian parsley

Serves 4

Heat the olive oil in a large saute pan set on medium-high heat until sizzling, about 2 minutes. Add the onion, garlic, bay leaf, currants, pine nuts, saffron or turmeric, cinnamon and cumin and cook for 3-4 minutes, until the onion is soft. Stir in the rice and cook for 2 minutes. Add 1/4 cup of the white wine, stir to scrape up any browned bits from the pan bottom and cook for 1 minute, until the wine is absorbed. Stir in the remaining wine, the chicken stock, salt and pepper and bring to a boil. Cover the pan with a tight-fitting lid, reduce the heat to low and simmer for 20 minutes. Remove from the heat andlet sit for 5 minutes. Stir the rice to fluff, remove the bay leaf and stir in the mint or parsley. The pilaf is ready to serve, but can be held for up to 15-20 minutes in the covered pan before serving.