Go Back
Print
Baked Rice with Tomato and garlic confit

Baked Rice with Tomato and Garlic Confit

An aromatic and flavour-packed side of baked rice and a confit of tomatoes, garlic, shallots and aromatics.  It is so versatile as a side dish, but don't be surprised if you end up just wanting to eat this as your main meal! It's that good!!

Course Side Dish
Cuisine Mediterranean
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 45 minutes
Servings 6

Ingredients

  • 1 3/4 lb (800 grams) cherry tomatoes
  • 12 large garlic cloves or 25 small, peeled and cut in half if large
  • 4 large shallots cut into 1 1/4 inch (3 cm) pieces
  • 1 1/4 cups cilantro stems cut into 1 1/2 inch (4 cm) lengths. Save the leaves for garnishing
  • 3 tbsp thyme leaves
  • 4 small cinnamon sticks if large, break in half
  • 7 tbsp (100 ml) olive oil
  • kosher salt and fresh cracked pepper
  • 1 1/2 cups (300 grams) basmati rice
  • 2 1/2 cups (600 ml) boiling water

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 350F
  2. Arrange the tomatoes, garlic, shallots, cilantro stems, thyme and cinnamon sticks in a large high sided casserole or baking dish. (it should be about 8x12 iches or 20 x 30 cm)
  3. Pour in the olive oil, 1/2 tsp of salt and 1/2 tsp of pepper.
  4. Place in the oven, uncovered, for 1 hour, till softened.
  5. Remove from the oven and sprinkle the rice all over the vegetables, but do NOT stir them together. Set aside.
  6. Increase the oven temperature to 450F
  7. Sprinkle 3/4 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp of pepper over the rice.
  8. Carefully pour the boiling water evenly over everything. Seal the dish tightly with tinfoil.
  9. Bake in the oven for 25 minutes, until the rice is cooked.
  10. Remove and set aside for 10 minutes. Do not remove the foil. The residual steam will finish the rice off perfectly.
  11. Remove the foil, sprinkle with chopped cilantro leaves, stirring them gently into the rice.
  12. Serve.

Recipe Notes

Recipe from Simple by Yotam Ottolenghi.

I state that this recipe will feed six as a side, or four as a main.  Even though it is just two of us at home, I make the entire dish, as it keeps well and reheats perfectly.  Trust me, you will want it all.  But if necessary, it is a recipe that can be easily cut in half.  But why??