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5.0 from 123 votes

Enchanted rice with grapes, feta and pistachios

In enchanted rice with grapes, feta and pistachios, broiling feta with grapes distills the fruit's heady, luscious juice and imbues it with a bit of saltiness and a crunch of pistachios. For a vegan option, sub tofu for feta. This can be made with other grains like barley or quinoa.

Prep Time
20 mins
Cook Time
1 hr
Total Time
1 hr 20 mins
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: North American , Israeli

Ingredients

For feta in grape sauce:
  • 8 oz 225g feta or tofu for vegan version
  • 2 large bunches of black grapes I recommend Coronation grapes or Concord grapes
  • ¼ cup chopped fresh herbs such as oregano, tarragon and thyme
  • salt and pepper
  • ¼ cup olive oil
For rice:
  • 4-8 large grape leaves
  • 1 cup basmati rice
  • 2 cups water
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
For serving:
  • ½ cup pistachios chopped
  • ¼ cup chopped fresh herbs such as oregano, tarragon and thyme

Instructions

Prepare feta in grape sauce:
    Cup of Yum
  1. Preheat the oven to 400F (200C) with a rack in the center of the oven.
  2. While the oven is preheating, combine feta, grapes, herbs, salt and pepper and olive oil on a foil-lined baking sheet and toss until mixed.
  3. Bake for 25 minutes. Strain feta and grapes from sauce and set aside. Reserve sauce in a separate container.
Toast pistachios:
  1. Add pistachios to a different parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake in a 400F (200C) oven for 5-7 minutes, checking and stirring pistachios often to avoid burning. Remove and set aside.
Prepare rice:
  1. Line the bottom of your pot with large grape leaves (the amount you'll need will depend on the size of your pot and your largest leaves).
  2. Add basmati rice to pot. Top with water, adding salt and a drizzle of oil. Cover with lid and bring to a boil. Once rice is boiling, turn heat to lowest and let cook, covered, 15-18 minutes, until water is fully absorbed and rice is tender. Let rice sit undisturbed, lid on, for 5 minutes. Fluff with fork and set aside.
  3. Decorate the bottom a platter whose diameter is larger than the pot with additional grape leaves, if desired.
  4. When ready to serve, cover pot with the platter. In one swift motion, invert pot onto platter, tapping the bottom of the pot a few times. Remove pot, letting rice spill onto the platter. Remove cooked grape leaves.
  5. Top rice with reserved grapes and ¾ of the grape sauce. Top with large chunk of feta. Drizzle with remaining grape sauce. Sprinkle chopped pistachios and fresh herbs. Serve immediately.
  6. Rice will keep in the fridge for 4-5 days. If making ahead, prepare all components separately and keep them separated until ready to serve. Warm up rice and feta separately before combining.