BAKED RICE WITH CURRANTS AND CHICKPEAS
Ingredients
200g dried chickpeas or 1-2 tins, (as much as you like)
salt
1 whole head of garlic, unpeeled
75ml olive oil
150g currants or raisins
1 large tomato (200g) or half tin chopped tomatoes
5ml spanish paprika, pimenton dulce or paprika
1.25litres of meat or chicken stock
500g medium-grain Spanish rice or risotto rice
Source: the Food of Spain - Claudia Roden
Serves: 8
Method
If using dried chickpeas, soak in water for 6 hours or overnight.
When ready to cook, drain, put them in a pan with plenty of cold water and simmer for 1hour, until they are soft, add some salt only when they have begun to soften.
Drain when ready and reserve.
Soak the dried fruit in water for 30 minutes, then drain and reserve.
Preheat oven to 200C
Wash the head of garlic and dry well.
Heat the oil in a large oven proof pan in possible. If none available transer to oven proof pan when all ingredients are together.
Put in the garlic and half the dried fruit and stir over a low heat for 2-3 minutes.
Add the tomato, pimenton or paprika and stir well.
Add the chickpeas, stock and salt to season.
Bring to boil, add the rice and stir well. Now pour into oven proof dish if necessary.
Move the head of garlic to the centre of the rice, sprinkle with the remaining dried fruit over the top.
Bake in the oven for 30 minutes or until rice is tender, cover for final minutes if drying out.
When serving, break open the head of garlic and give everyone a clove to squeeze out the soft inside.