Ingredients

Mexican Rice

• 250g long grain rice
• 4 tomatoes, quartered
• 1 onion, quartered
• 3 garlic cloves, peeled
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 500ml chicken or vegetable stock
• 1 carrot, peeled and finely diced
• 100g corn kernels
• 60g stringless beans, trimmed and finely chopped
• 4 mushroom, diced

To Finish

• 1 green chilli, deseeded and finely chopped
• 1 tbsp parsley finely chopped

To Serve

• 1 tbsp parsley finely chopped

Method

1. To Prepare Rice: Soak the rice in the water for 1 hour or wash it until the water runs clear.
2. Tomatoes and Onion: Place the tomatoes, onion and garlic in a oven proof container and sprinkle over 1 tbsp of the olive oil and a little salt and pepper and place it under a hot grill for 5 minutes until golden brown. Remove the mixture from the oven and puree the mixture.
3. To Cook: Heat 2 tbsp of the oil in a large saucepan over a moderate heat. Add the rice to the pan and cook it for a few minutes, stirring regularly until golden. Stir in the tomato puree and cook for 3 minutes.
4. Stir in the carrot, mushroom, beans, corn and stock. Season with a little salt and pepper and bring the stock to the boil then cover and reduce to a low simmer. Leave it to cook for 10-15 minutes, until the liquid is absorbed.
5. To Finish: Stir the chilli and parsley into the rice.
6. To Serve: Sprinkle the parsley over the rice and serve.