Baked rice with grilled peppers and feta

Ingredients:

• 2 Tbsp (30ml) olive oil 
• 2 onions, chopped 
• 4 palermo peppers (or red peppers) 
• 4 cloves garlic, sliced 
• 10 capers, chopped 
• 1 Tbsp (15ml) each ground cumin and smoked paprika 
• 1 packet (50g) tomato paste 
• 2½ cups (625ml) long-grain white rice 
• 4 cups (1L) veg stock or chicken stock 
• 6 sprigs fresh thyme 
• 2 fresh bay leaves 
• Salt and milled pepper 
• 4 discs (200g) feta, crumbled 
• Fried capers, for serving 

Method

1. Heat oil in an oven-safe pot and sauté onion and 2 chopped peppers for about 8 minutes until softened. 
2. Add garlic, capers and spices and fry for another minute. 
3. Stir in tomato paste and cook until sticky. 
4. Add rice, stock and herbs, and season. 
5. Stir to combine ingredients evenly, cover and bake at 200˚C for 10 minutes. 
6. Remove lid and bake for 18-22 minutes more, until almost all liquid is absorbed. (If rice isn’t tender when liquid is absorbed, top up with a splash of water and bake until rice is done.) 
7. Char two remaining peppers over an open flame, or in a griddle pan, to give them a smoky flavour. 
8. Fluff up baked rice with a fork and stir through feta. 
9. Serve topped with halved charred peppers. 

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