Raisins, chillies and fresh herbs add interesting flavours to a rich, warming casserole of rice, vegetables and beans, topped with grilled Parmesan cheese and served with cooling Greek yoghurt.
ingredients
serves: 4
3 tablespoons virgin olive oil
1 medium onion
2 medium sticks celery
2 cloves garlic
1 medium red pepper
7/8 cup seedless raisins
A pinch of dried oregano
A pinch of dried crushed red chillies
1 teaspoon ground cumin
Salt and black pepper
14 ounce canned chopped tomatoes
6 ounce broccoli
A handful of fresh cilantro
14 1/2 ounce canned kidney beans
9 3/4 ounce canned cooked 'Microwave' rice
4 1/2 ounce frozen sweetcorn
2/3 cup Parmesan cheese
To serve:
8 ounce natural Greek yoghurt, or 7/8 cup soured cream
fresh crusty bread
method
1. Put a kettle of water on to boil. Heat the oil in a large, heavy-based saucepan over a very low heat.
2. Peel and chop the onion, rinse and thinly slice the celery and peel and crush the garlic. Add them to the oil; fry gently for 5 minutes.
3. Rinse, deseed and chop the pepper and add it to the pan with the raisins, oregano, crushed chillies and cumin and fry for 2 minutes.
4. Add salt and pepper, the canned tomatoes and 5 tablespoons of water. Bring to the boil, reduce the heat, and simmer for 5 minutes.
5. Rinse the broccoli, cut it into florets, put them into a saucepan and cover with boiling water. Bring back to the boil, cook for 2 minutes, then drain and set aside.
6. Preheat the grill to medium. Rinse and chop enough cilantro to give 4 tablespoons and set aside.
7. Drain and rinse the kidney beans and add them to the vegetable mixture, with the canned rice and sweetcorn. Return to the boil, lower the heat and simmer for 2 minutes. Add the broccoli and heat for a further minute.
8. Remove the pan from the heat, then stir in the cilantro and grate the Parmesan cheese over the top. Grill or broil the gratin for 5 - 6 minutes to melt the cheese.
9. Serve accompanied by yoghurt or soured cream, and crusty bread.
