Pamela Anderson's Crispy Saffron-Spinach Rice Cake

Pour 1 tablespoon of hot tap water into a small bowl and add the saffron threads, crumbling them with your fingers. Let soak for about 5 minutes to draw out as much gorgeous color as possible.

Transfer about half of the boiled rice to a medium bowl. Stir in the plant milk, chickpea flour, and saffron mixture.

Heat a 10-inch nonstick or very well-seasoned cast-iron skillet over medium heat. Melt the plant butter in the skillet, swirling it around to cover the entire bottom. Use a wooden spoon or silicone spatula to scoop the seasoned rice into the skillet, and press down with the spoon to compact the rice. Add the cooked spinach as the next layer, spreading it evenly. Sprinkle the pomegranate seeds, pistachios, and dried apricots over the spinach. Top with the remaining rice as a final layer, again compacting it by pressing with the spoon. Drizzle with the remaining ¼ cup olive oil. Use the handle of a wooden spoon to poke several holes in the rice, so that you can see the bottom of the pan. The oil should be sizzling. Cook for 15 minutes, then decrease the heat to low, and cook for another 15 to 25 minutes. Rotate the pan every 5 minutes so that the heat is even underneath the rice.

Remove from the heat and let cool for 10 minutes, then use an offset spatula to loosen the rice around the edges.

Be brave. Put a large plate on top of the skillet, face down. Using oven mitts, hold the skillet and plate together and flip them over together in a swift, confident turn so that the rice cake is on the plate. Garnish with torn herbs or pomegranate seeds. Crack the crusty top with a large spoon, and scoop what you’d like.

Excerpted from I LOVE YOU by Pamela Anderson with Maria Zizka. Copyright © 2024 by Anderson Media Company, LLC. Photographs by Ditte Isager. Used with permission of Voracious, an imprint of Little, Brown and Company. New York, NY. All rights reserved.