Rosemary & Squash Baked Rice
PREP TIME: 10 minutes
COOKING TIME: 1 hour
SERVES: 4-6 people
An excellent mid-week dinner in which the oven does most of the work. Serve with a vinaigrette-dressed green salad, or some buttered green vegetables on the side.
What to do
- Heat the oven to 200C.
- Arrange the squash, cut side up in a casserole pan and season generously with salt and pepper. Tuck 2 rosemary sprigs around the squash, along with the garlic. Drizzle with a couple of tablespoons of olive oil. Roast in the oven for 20-25 minutes, until the squash is tender.
- Remove the squash from the casserole pan into a large mixing bowl. Squeeze the garlic into the bowl and use a fork to roughly mash everything together.
- Carefully, as it will still be hot, transfer the casserole back onto the hob and add the remaining oil and bacon. Stir occasionally until the bacon turns golden and releases its fat. Finely chop the remaining rosemary and stir it into the pan along with the celery, onion and carrot. Cook, stirring often for 8-10 minutes, then stir in the rice, dried herbs and mashed squash. Pour over the stock and season generously with salt and pepper. Stir everything together, then bring the pan to a simmer. Cover with a lid. Return the pan to the oven for another 30 minutes, until the rice is cooked through and the liquid has evaporated.
- Leave on the side to sit and steam with the lid on for 10 mins for extra fluffy rice before serving in warm bowls.
What you will need
- 1 butternut squash, peeled and chopped into 4cm cubes
- 5 sprigs rosemary, divided
- 1 head garlic, top ½ cm sliced off
- 4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 200g bacon lardons
- 2 sticks celery, finely chopped
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 1 carrot, finely chopped
- 200g basmati rice
- 1 tsp herbes de Provence
- 400ml hot vegetable stock
- Salt & pepper
Celery that pirouettes on your palate
‘Mirepoix’ is the aromatic combination of celery, onion and carrot that’s pivotal in building depth of flavour. Used as the starting point for many French favourites, our range of warming one pot wonders takes this celery medley and makes it quick and easy to make magic at home.
