PLOV

This recipe makes a basic plov. Consider it a point of departure for the creation of your own personal version. Feel free to im-plov-ise.

Lamb or mutton are the traditional meats of choice for plov, because their strong flavors can stand up to the cumin, coriander, and other spices. For this reason I often use deer meat, which is similarly flavorful. Beef and chicken can make decent plovs, but the flavors of these renditions are more subtle less bold.

Serves 6

• 1- 2 pounds of lamb, as fatty as possible, diced

• 3 tablespoons olive oil (unless the lamb is really, really fatty)

• 2 cups long grain rice, preferably jasmine or basmati

• 1 tablespoon crushed or powdered cumin

• 1 tablespoon crushed or powdered coriander

• 2 teaspoons black pepper

• 2 teaspoons salt; more to taste

• 3 large carrots, cut into chunks

• 1 large onion, halved and sliced

• 2 heads garlic, left whole with the tops lopped off

• 4 bay leaves

• 1 cup red wine

Brown the lamb in the olive oil in a wok, Dutch oven, or large frying pan. While the meat browns, wash the rice in a bowl by filling it with water, stirring, and dumping the water. Rinse and repeat until the water runs clear.

When the meat has browned, mix in the cumin, coriander, black pepper and salt. Add the carrots, onions, garlic heads, bay leaves and wine, and stir it together. Sauté slowly, stirring occasionally, until the onions are translucent and the carrots are soft. Add the rice and mix it all together. Add about two cups of water, until there is about a half-inch or so covering the rice.

Cover the plov and simmer over medium heat until the rice is soft. Be ready to add more water if the pan dries out before the rice is fully cooked.

Let the plov sit, or “rest,” for about 30 minutes with the lid on before serving. This lets the flavors settle and come to balance with one another and allows for the moisture to distribute itself evenly. As you serve it, break apart the garlic heads and distribute the soft cloves, so every serving includes a couple.