Lebanese Restaurant Rice Pilaf

Ingredients

• 3 cups parboiled long-grain white rice
• 1/2 cup butter, divided
• 1/4 cup olive oil, divided
• 1/2 cup orzo pasta
• 4 cups water
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 1 tablespoon slivered almonds, or to taste
• 1 tablespoon tahini

Directions

Soak rice in a bowl of water for 10 minutes; drain and rinse until the water runs clear.

Heat 1/4 cup butter and 2 tablespoons olive oil together in a skillet over medium heat; cook and stir orzo until lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Add drained rice and increase heat to medium-high. Cook and stir orzo-rice mixture until rice is coated in butter-oil mixture and starts to turn translucent, about 5 minutes.

Pour water over rice mixture and season with salt; stir and bring to a boil. Cover skillet, reduce heat to low, and simmer until rice is fluffy and tender yet firm, about 20 minutes.

Heat remaining olive oil in a separate skillet over medium heat; cook and stir almonds until toasted and fragrant, about 5 minutes. Add remaining butter and stir in tahini until almonds are evenly coated. Mix almond mixture into rice mixture.