Spiced Rice

This is colorful and tasty and the perfect accompaniment for a leg of lamb, roast ham or pork.

1 cup uncooked rice
2 cups boiling salted water
1 (1-inch) piece fresh ginger, peeled
1/4 cup seedless raisins
1/4 cup currants
2 ounces dried apricots, chopped
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 teaspoons minced shallots
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon coriander
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 cup toasted pine nuts

Cook rice with peeled ginger in boiling salted water until done, about 25 minutes. While rice is cooking, soak raisins, currants and apricots in hot water to cover, then drain when plump. When rice is ready, remove ginger and place rice in a warm serving casserole. To the rice in the casserole, add pepper, nutmeg, shallots, lemon juice, coriander and olive oil. Gently fold in the plumped raisins, currants and apricots. Keep warm until ready to serve. Just before serving, sprinkle with pine nuts.