Cherry Almond Pilaf - cooking recipe

Ingredients

1 cup tart cherries
2/3 cup water
2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons butter
2 cups vegetable broth
1 cup basmati rice, rinsed and drained
3 tablespoons sliced almonds, lightly toasted
1 teaspoon ground cilantro

Preparation

Pit cherries over a medium saucepan to save as much juice as possible.
Once pitted, heat cherries, water and sugar to a boil.
Reduce heat and simmer cherry mixture for 20 minutes.
Drain cherries, reserving juice in a clear glass measuring cup. Save cherries for later.
Add enough vegetable broth to the cherry juice to equal 2 cups of liquid. Set cherry/broth liquid aside and discard leftover vegetable broth.
Melt butter in a large skillet. Add rice and stir to coat in melted butter.
Pour in the cherry juice/vegetable broth mixture and bring to a boil over medium high heat.
Cover and reduce heat to low. Simmer for 15-20 minutes until rice is tender and all of the liquid is absorbed. Check the skillet occasionally and stir to make sure that the rice doesn't stick to the bottom.
Remove from heat, fluff with a fork, fold in cherries and cilantro.
Transfer to a serving dish and sprinkle with toasted almonds.