Oven-baked Vegetables & Rice Salad
Servings 12
Ingredients
- 1 green bell pepper deseeded and diced
- 1 red bell pepper deseeded and diced
- 1 yellow bell pepper deseeded and diced
- 1 small aubergine cut into small pieces
- 1 large red onion diced
- 2 medium courgettes halved lengthways and sliced
- 6 chestnut mushrooms chopped
- 12 cherry tomatoes whole
- 2-4 garlic cloves crushed
- 6 tbsps olive oil
- ½ tsp ground cinnamon
- ½ tsp ground cumin
- ½ tsp ground coriander
- 1 tbsp dried mint
- ½ tbsp dried oregano
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 x 400g can chopped tomatoes - don't throw away the can yet!
- juice of 1 lemon
- 200 g basmati rice
- 2 tbsps tomato paste
- water
- handful of flaked almonds optional, to serve
- handful of sultanas optional, to serve
- fresh parsley or coriander chopped (optional, to serve)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 200C/Gas 6.
- Place all of the chopped vegetables into a large roasting tray.
- Add the crushed garlic, olive oil, herbs, spices, salt, pepper, chopped tomatoes and lemon juice then mix everything together to distribute all the ingredients.
- Make a parting in the middle of the pan, by pushing the vegetables out to the sides a bit and pour the rice into the gap.
- Place the tomato puree into the empty and fill up with water - stir to combine and then pour this over the rice, mix gently to incorporate the water and rice but keep it in the middle of the tray!
- Cover with foil and place into the oven for half an hour.
- Remove from the oven and mix all the rice and vegetables together.
- Re-cover the tray and put back in the oven for a further 30 minutes.
- After the hour is done, check to see if the rice is cooked, if it needs longer, do it in 5-10 minute batches.
- When the rice and vegetables are tender you can either serve it hot from the oven, or allow it to cool to room temperature.
- An optional extra is to stir through some flaked almonds and/or sultanas. Fresh herbs like parsley or coriander also add another great dimension!