Portuguese Inspired Baked Rice with Crispy Piri Piri Mushrooms

The easiest baked rice dish that makes a satisfying and delicious dinner to share with friends!

1 hour cook

Serves 5

Mia Jacobs

Ingredients

For the rice

1onion, diced onion

4 garlic cloves, finely diced or grated

1 tbspsmoked paprika

2 tbsptomato paste

200mlvegan white wine

200gsmoked tofu, cubed

1 tinpinto beans

400grisotto rice, rinsed with cold water

750mlvegetable stock

to tastesalt and freshly cracked pepper

1-2 tbspolive oil

For the crispy mushrooms

190goyster mushrooms

1.5 tbsppiri piri seasoning

1 garlic clove, grated

1 tbspolive oil

a generous pinchsalt

For the parsley sauce

30gparsley

2 tbspextra virgin olive oil

1/2-1lemon, juice

1lemon, zest

1small garlic clove

to tastesalt

Sticky baked Portuguese inspired rice with peri peri mushrooms will be your friend if you haven't quite nailed rice cooking. It is outrageously comforting, smokey, sticky and crispy in all the right places. The tomatoey rice is packed with smoked tofu and pinto beans for protein and risotto rice for the perfect texture and bite.

Method

Preheat oven to 200 degrees (180 degrees fan). In a large oven proof, shallow pan, heat the oil over a medium heat. Add the onions and a pinch of salt. Fry for around 4-5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened.

Add in the garlic and fry for a minute or so, followed by the smoked paprika and tomato puree. Mix into the garlic and onion, and fry for another 2-3 minutes until the colour deepens and the tomato puree starts to caramelise, adding a splash more oil if needed.

Turn up the heat and pour in the wine. Allow it to bubble away and cook off for 5-8 minutes.

Once reduced, add the pinto beans (including the liquid) and the diced smoked tofu, followed by the risotto rice. Stir everything together until the ingredients are completely coated in the sauce.

Season with salt and pepper then pour over the stock. Stir gently then cover. Place into the oven for 40 minutes, or until the rice is cooked. Remove the lid, drizzle with oil and place under the grill for 5-10 minutes before serving.

Whilst the rice bakes, mix the torn mushroom pieces with the piri piri seasoning, garlic, salt, pepper and olive oil then place on a baking tray and roast for 20 minutes.

Mix the parsley, extra virgin olive oil, garlic, lemon juice and zest together.

Grab the baked rice, top with plenty of the green sauce and the crispy mushrooms. Squeeze over some extra lemon then serve and enjoy!