Veg
By Jamie Oliver
Mediterranean vegetable rice
Bombs of green pesto, olive tapenade, creamy mozzarella & basil
45 mins
Not Too Tricky
serves 4
Recipe From
Ingredients
300g basmati rice
1 small red onion
1 courgette
4 ripe mixed-colour tomatoes
4 tablespoons green pesto
olive oil
8 black olives (stone in)
white wine vinegar
extra virgin olive oil
4 sprigs of fresh basil
½ x 125g ball of mozzarella cheese
Top Tip
EASY SWAPS
Very finely slicing the veg means you can pretty much use any kind or variety – baby carrots, fennel, aubergines, beetroot – to really celebrate the seasons in a flamboyant way.
GO VEGGIE
Use vegetarian pesto.
Method
- Preheat the grill to high.
- Tip the rice into a 25cm x 35cm roasting tray (or use a large round shallow ovenproof pan or tray, like I’ve done here, if you have one), pour over 650ml of boiling salted water and cook over a medium heat for 12 minutes, stirring occasionally, then turn off the heat.
- Meanwhile, peel the red onion, then very finely slice with the courgette, or use a mandolin (use the guard!). Finely slice the tomatoes into rounds.
- Randomly bomb the pesto over the rice, then start layering up your veg: cover the rice with rounds of onion, then move on to a layer of courgettes, overlapping them as you go, followed by a layer of tomatoes. Repeat, moving slightly nearer the middle each time until you’ve covered the whole surface (use the picture to help you out – it might look a bit fiddly, but it’s child’s play to make).
- Drizzle with 2 tablespoons of olive oil and sprinkle with black pepper, then place under the grill on the middle shelf for 25 minutes, or until beautifully gratinated.
- Meanwhile, for the tapenade, destone and very finely chop the olives, then mix with ½ a tablespoon each of vinegar and extra virgin olive oil.
- To serve, pick over the basil leaves, dot over the olive tapenade and delicately tear over the mozzarella.
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