Heat the butter in a medium heavy saucepan over low heat. Add the onion and pepper and a large pinch of salt and stir to coat. Cook gently, stirring frequently, until softened, about 5 minutes. (Do not let the vegetables brown -- if necessary, add a splash of water to prevent this.)
Add the tomatoes and another large pinch of salt to the pan and stir to combine. Raise the heat so the mixture bubbles steadily and cook for 5 to 7 minutes, until you have what resembles a thick sauce.
Stir in the rice, 2 1/2 cups cold water and a couple more pinches of salt. Bring to a brisk simmer and cook uncovered for 5 to 8 minutes without stirring, until the liquid on the surface is mostly gone. Stir the rice briefly, cover and turn the heat down as low as it will go. Cook the rice, without removing the lid, for 25 minutes. Turn off the heat and let the pot sit covered for 5 minutes. Fluff the rice with a fork and serve.
Sounds delicious -- and comforting right now when we can all use it. Can this be made without the pepper) swapping in any more shelf-stable veggie? We are not likely to be able to get more fresh produce in the next week or two, but this seems something very close to good quarantine food!
Both my husband and I really love this rice dish! I have paired it with pan-fried scallops (yum) or topped it with cheese and served it by itself with a green salad for dinner. Have spiced it up by adding a jalapeno pepper and have also added mushrooms. Thanks for a great recipe.
My grandfather used to make something oh so close to this he called Risut (pronounced ree-zut) which I interpreted as I became an adult to be a peasant type of risotto (no wine, no constant stirring). It was always homey and delicious -looking forward to trying this;)
Made this as written last night! Such a gorgeously simple and divine dish! Found a bonus in the fridge and though I usually like to try a recipe the first time totally unaltered, I couldn’t resist...Burrata! I topped each bowl with a glistening ball. My husband and I each cut into it and let the creamy center ooze all into the rice. My goodness...almost too good to be legal.
I really loved this recipe. It went so well with a fish stew I made. Had to adjust it a bit though. I used yellow pepper instead of red, a tablespoon of butter and a tablespoon of avocado oil instead of 2 Tbs of butter. Plus I had to cook it for 35 minutes instead of 25 and add an extra half cup of water .
Great recipe - so homey. I served it with the Pioneer Woman's Chickpea Curry and it was a surprisingly apt pairing. Will make the two together again, and next time, I'm going to add a nice cooling side raita side. http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/chickpea-curry/
Haven't made your tomato rice in a long time, but I made it again tonight as a way of using up an heirloom tomato that was malingering on my kitchen counter. Why haven't I made your tomato rice in so long? It was absolutely DELICIOUS! Thanks again, Merrill.
This is really delicious. I had a plethora of Lemon Boys from the garden, so I subbed a yellow pepper. I used Brown Jasmine rice and I have to say 25 minutes is not near enough time....more like 40. Otherwise, spot on.
So is this recipe still considered "raw" if you cook it? I'm new to this whole raw eating lifestyle and I just wanted some clarification : ) Regardless, I can't wait to try this!
I made this last night with short grain brown rice and it was wonderful! I ate it with some pan-seared broccoli and carrots, and today I had it with steamed spinach and 5-minute eggs. This is a great, easy meal for any weeknight! I'm also sure there are endless variations on it. I'd like to try it in a burrito with some beans and greens!
Really wonderful recipe! This reminds me of something my Nana used to make, called "Spanish Rice." I used half butter, half extra virgin olive oil, a whole red pepper (up from a half) and through in a bay leaf. Can't wait to make this again.
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