Mediterranean vegetable baked rice

Mediterranean vegetable baked rice
Prepare
less than 30 mins
Cook
30 mins to 1 hour
Serve
Serves 4

This oven baked rice is similar to a risotto as it uses the same type of rice, but without all the stirring. It's packed with Mediterranean ingredients, like feta, herbs and lemon. Plus it's all cooked in one pan and uses a bag of ready prepared frozen Mediterranean vegetables for a helpful extra shortcut.

Each serving provides 362 kcal, 11.4g protein, 50g carbohydrate (of which 5.4g sugars), 11.1g fat (of which 6.8g saturates), 2.7g fibre and 1.75g salt.

By Elly Curshen

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Ingredients

  • 1 x pack prepared Mediterranean-style vegetables (pack sizes range from 300–600g/10½oz–1lb 5oz), roughly chopped into 1cm/½in pieces
  • splash olive oil (optional, only use if no oil in vegetable pack above)
  • 1 tsp dried mixed herbs (optional, only use if no herbs in vegetable pack above)
  • 4 tbsp white wine
  • 225g/8oz arborio rice
  • 700ml/1¼ pint vegetable stock
  • 25g/1oz Parmesan or grana padano, finely grated
  • 1 tbsp butter
  • large handful fresh herbs (such as basil, flatleaf parsley, dill, oregano or a mixture), roughly chopped
  • 1 lemon, zest and juice
  • 100g/3½oz feta (or to taste), crumbled into bite-sized pieces
  • sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method

  1. Place a casserole over a medium–high heat. If the vegetable pack already contains oil and herbs, add the vegetable pack to the casserole and fry until softened and browned. If not, heat the oil in the casserole, add the vegetable pack and dried herbs and fry until softened and browned.

  2. Preheat the oven to 195C/175C Fan/Gas 6.

  3. Add the wine and stir well to deglaze the pan. Add the rice and stock and season with salt and pepper. Stir again and cover with the lid.

  4. Bake for about 40 minutes, or until the rice is cooked to your liking.

  5. Remove from the oven and stir well, scraping all the bits from the bottom of the pan.

  6. Mix in the Parmesan and butter until creamy.

  7. Top with the herbs, lemon zest and juice and feta. Replace the lid for 3–4 minutes.

  8. To serve, remove the lid when everyone is seated – the smell is incredible! Serve in warmed bowls.

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