Baked Spanish Rice

Wow, I have been really lazy about updating ye olde blog lately, haven’t I?  I just sat and flipped through pictures from my camera and realized that I’ve done some cooking.  I’ve taken some pictures.  I just haven’t written about it.  So, it’s time to play a little catch up.  Plus, I promise that for every exciting bread of Peter Reinhart’s that I post pictures and commentary on, I will have at least one original recipe of my own.  Seeing that I have a bread ready to go for tomorrow, it’s time to hit the photo archives and present you with something good.

And, something good is definitely what this rice is.  I served it with chicken, roasted in the oven and sweetly spiced with pimentón, garlic, lemon, and honey.  The recipe for that is forthcoming also, but this rice was uncommonly good.  I took a little inspiration for dinner that night from Peter’s blog Kalofagas.  He had posted this simple roast chicken with baked rice.  It looked amazing!  I am a devotee of anything rice, but I have never eaten it baked.

Needless to say, I was intrigued by the idea and shelved it for future use.  So, several months later I’m in my kitchen, I have this chicken, and I’m building a meal around it.  I wanted to serve something on the side that played into the bold flavors of the spicing on it and stand up to it.  I also wanted to be lazy and get away with only serving chicken and a side dish because American Idol was coming on, and I wasn’t about to miss it.  Might this be the night for baked rice?  Well, maybe, but I wanted more than just baked rice.  I started thinking about what would be great with that smoky, sweet, slightly spicy chicken.  Baked Spanish rice.  This rice is full of flavor and is terribly, terribly easy.  It can hang out in the oven right next to the chicken and just bake away happily, getting crusty on top and fluffy below.  Seriously.  Try it.  It will enhance a lazy chicken meal with minimal effort!

Baked Spanish Rice

• 1 C rice
• 2 C hot chicken broth
• 1/4 C chopped yellow onion
• 1/4 C bell pepper, diced
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 6-8 T extra virgin olive oil
• 1 10 oz can diced tomatoes
• 1 tsp oregano
• 1 tsp ground ancho chili
• 1/2 tsp cumin
• sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• parsley, chopped, for garnish (optional)

Preheat your oven to 425º.  Add 6-8 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil to the bottom of  a six-quart casserole or baking dish.  Make sure it covers the bottom.  Next, add the rice, onion, garlic, tomatoes and bell pepper. Stir to coat with the olive oil.  Then, pour in the hot stock.  Season with the oregano, ground ancho pepper, cumin, and the salt and pepper.  Stir well, to combine all flavors and ensure an even texture.  Bake uncovered for 45 minutes to an hour.  If you are baking next to chicken and have to reduce the heat, the cooking time may be longer.  Make sure all liquid is evaporated.  Before serving, fluff with a fork and garnish with parsley.

Serves 4.

 

 

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