It is necessary:
- 2 tablespoons of olive oil (about 15g),
- medium onion,
- 3 cloves of garlic,
- 3-4 salted anchovies (optional),
- 10-15 g of dried tomatoes (optional),
- 2 medium carrots,
- 2 medium parsnips (if you have them),
- half a large or one small pepper,
- 4-5 medium tomatoes (about 600 g),
- 350 g of short grain rice,
- about 6 dl of water or vegetable or chicken broth,
- salt, pepper, herbs of choice (basil, parsley, thyme, chives...)
Preparation:
Finely chop the onion and fry in olive oil until translucent (add a pinch of salt). During this time, chop the garlic and if you are using anchovies and sun-dried tomatoes, this is the moment to add them. Otherwise, they will intensify the natural umami taste of tomatoes, and even if you don't like anchovies, don't worry, you won't feel the "fishy" taste. If you use dried tomatoes that are not in oil, first soak them in warm water for about 10 minutes.
Chop the carrot, parsnip and pepper into small cubes and add them when the previous ingredients are fried.
Remove the stem and green part of the tomato, divide it into several parts and blend it in a multipurpose processor, together with the seeds. Add that liquid to the fried vegetables and let it cook for about 10 minutes on high heat.
Since we don't want the dish to be creamy like risotto, we rinse the rice under running water to remove excess starch. When the tomatoes are quite cooked, add washed rice, salt (say a flat teaspoon), mix, pour boiling water or stock (start with 5dl). Wait for it to boil again, reduce the heat to medium, cover and let it simmer. Stir occasionally and if you see the water boiling quickly, add a little more and lower the heat.
It is necessary that the rice is cooked, but that it can be clearly felt under the tooth, because keep in mind that it will cook a little while the dish is "waiting" to be served. When done, add fresh herbs, pepper and salt as needed.
Bonus video:
