Every so often, it’s refreshing to make a dinner that doesn’t require grinding a custom spice mix with a mortar and pestle or using Google translate in the grocery store. It’s a busy time of year at work, and, as much as I love to cook, the warmer weather is a tempting alternative to spending hours in my dark and claustrophobic cave of a kitchen. And so, in an unusual move for me, I’ve been looking for inspiration in simplicity.
One place I’ve found hearty, straightforward dishes that don’t take a half day to prepare is Penelope Casas’ The Foods & Wines of Spain. As you’d imagine, there is a lot of seafood and a lot of potatoes, but also a number of variations on a one-pot rice dish. I’ve had terrible luck making paella in the past, and while these days my rice usually turns out edible, I’ve made crunchy rice or soggy rice more times than I can count. In fact, I have ruined rice so many times using so many different rice to water ratios that I now generally just “do it by feel” (i.e. I stick my finger in the water to see how high it comes). It’s a dangerous game when you’re not even sure what you are “feeling” for.
And so, what a pleasant surprise it was when, after 15 minutes in the oven, I pulled out my smallest Dutch oven (it’s a weird thing to have too many of, but I definitely do) to find a perfectly cooked and seasoned meal. And only about 3 dishes in the sink. And an $8 grocery bill. Looking back, it was somewhat of a Wednesday night miracle.
Baked rice with zucchini is going to be my reminder, and hopefully yours, if you are a high culinary achiever with perfectionist tendencies, that there isn’t always a need to overthink it in the kitchen. That sometimes simpler really is better when you’re hungry, working late, and ten days behind on Game of Thrones. In that scenario, put on your slippers and head on over to Westeros- let this Spanish rice do the work for you.
If you’re someone who doesn’t let a dinner go by with no meat, this would make a lovely side dish, but it’s also a satisfying vegetarian main. I also think it would be delicious with some fresh chorizo sausage sautéed with the onion, because when does pork not make something better?
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1/2 dried sweet red pepper, such as New Mexico
- 1 small tomato, cut in large pieces (don't chop too small- you'll need to fish them out of the pot and into the food processor)
- 1 clove garlic, peeled
- 1 small onion, chopped
- 1/4 lb zucchini (~1/2 medium zucchini), cut into 1/2-inch cubes
- 1/4 lb green beans
- 1 cup short-grain rice (I used arborio and gave it a few good rinses beforehand to get some of the starch out)
- 2 cups chicken broth
- Salt
Instructions
- In an 8-9 inch casserole, heat the oil over medium-low heat and sauté the dried red pepper until it is softened (careful not to burn). Place in a food processor or blender, broken into pieces. In the same oil over medium heat, sauté the tomato and garlic until the garlic turns golden. Place the tomato and garlic in the processor. Add the onion to the casserole and sauté until it is wilted. Stir in the zucchini and green beans and sauté for 10 minutes. Add the rice and stir to coat well with the oil.
- Blend the processor ingredients until a paste forms. Slowly pour in the broth, heated, and blend until smooth. Add this to the casserole, season with salt, and bring to a boil, then simmer, uncovered and stirring occasionally, 5 minutes, or until the rice is no longer soupy but some liquid remains. Place in a 325°F oven, uncovered, for 15 minutes, or until the liquid is absorbed but the rice is not quite done. Cover lightly with foil and let sit 5 minutes before serving.
Notes
Adapted from The Foods and Wines of Spain
May 5, 2014 at 11:42 pm
I am not a lover of zucchini but this looks delicious, and since it’s a one dish meal it deserves a try.
May 6, 2014 at 12:40 pm
Looks delicious and I happen to have just the right ingredients in the house.
Will definitely try it.