Rice Pilaf With Lamb - cooking recipe

Ingredients

1 lb ground lamb
2 cups basmati rice (or other long grain)
1 onion (finely chopped)
1/2 red bell pepper (finely chopped)
2 3/4 cups low sodium chicken broth (no msg)
2 ounces pine nuts
4 tablespoons butter
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup frozen baby peas (thawed)
1/4 cup hot water
1/2 teaspoon saffron (steeped in hot water)
1 bay leaf
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary

Preparation

Important:You will need a 5 quart roaster or Dutch oven with a well fitting lid to hold in heat & moisture.
Preheat oven to 350\u00b0F.
Melt butter in roaster over medium high heat.
Add onions,bell pepper & salt & sweat (not brown) for a few minutes.
Stir in rice & pine nuts & gently toast while stirring until rice smells nutty.
Add Saffron & water, bay leaf & chicken broth. Increase heat to high, when broth starts to boil, stir ingredients once, place lid on roaster & place in oven for 15 minutes.
When oven time is up, remove roaster from oven & rest for another 15 minutes but DO NOT remove lid (rice is still cooking).
When rice is in oven, prepare the lamb by mixing with thyme & rosemary.
Season & brown lamb gently & break it into pieces about the size of a clove of garlic. When rice is rested, add lamb & peas & mix through with a fork, fluffing rice as you look to remove the bay leaf.
Serve onto a warm platter or plates.