Staff Pick: Josh's Pick
Prep 15 ∙ Cook 45 ∙ Serves 4
1 14-oz can whole peeled tomatoes
1/2 yellow onion, peeled and roughly chopped
2 garlic cloves, peeled
1 1/2 tsp coarse sea salt
3 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 cup long-grain brown rice
3 Tbsp tomato paste
1/2 cup frozen peas (optional)
2 Tbsp cilantro, roughly chopped
1) Combine the tomatoes with the onion, garlic, and salt in a powerful blender and puree until completely smooth.
2)Add enough water so you have 2 1/2 cups of liquid and set it aside.
3) Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy saucepan set over high heat.
4) Add the rice and cook, stirring, until the rice turns opaque and smells nutty and almost like popcorn, about 3 minutes (Note: this makes for crunchy rice. Reduce time to make it softer.)
5) Stir the tomato paste into the rice and cook it for just 1 minute, so the tomato paste really gets into the rice.
6) Add the reserved blended tomato mixture and bring the whole thing to a boil.
7) Lower the heat, cover the pot, and simmer until the rice is cooked all the way through, about 45 minutes.
8) (Optional) Take the pot off the heat, uncover it, throw the peas on top of the rice, cover again, and let the rice sit undisturbed for 10 minutes.
9) Remove the lid, give the whole thing a good stir, and serve sprinkled with cilantro.
