The combination of onion, tomato, garlic and red pepper is used in many cuisines. The Spanish call it sofrito. The Basque region of Spain adds lots of red pepper and some hot peppers to their sofrito.
Pilaf, sometimes called pilau, is a rice dish that begins with first sauteing rice and then cooking it in broth. This can be done in the oven or on a burner.
Helpful Hints:
_ Rotisserie or roasted chicken can be used. Remove skin and fat before adding to the sauce.
_ If sliced pimentos aren't available, cut whole ones into \-inch strips.
_ Turmeric or bijol can be used instead of saffron.
_ Sliced fresh onions can be found in the produce section of the supermarket.
Countdown:
_ Start rice.
_ Prepare remaining ingredients.
_ Prepare chicken.
_ Finish rice.
Shopping List:
To buy: } pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, 1 small package lean ham (2 ounces needed)(ASTERISK), 1 package long grain white rice, 1 small package saffron threads, 1 can low-salt diced tomatoes(ASTERISK), 1 can/jar sliced pimentos and 1 container fresh sliced onion
Staples: Olive oil, hot pepper sauce, salt and black peppercorns
