Lennox Hastie's tomato rice is exactly what you need this season

Name: Lennox Hastie's tomato rice is exactly what you need this season
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 55 min
Ingredients: 100ml olive oil; 1 onion, finely chopped; 1 garlic clove, finely minced; 1 red chilli, deseeded, finely chopped; 1 fennel bulb, peeled, finely chopped; 2kg vine-ripened tomatoes, peeled, seeds removed and diced (seeds and skins retained for tomato water); 2 piquillo peppers, finely chopped; 1 tsp smoked paprika (pimento); 100g aged parmesan, shaved and rind reserved; 300g paella rice, such as bomba calasparra; 1L tomato water; 1 rosemary sprig; 4–5 pesticide-free tomato leaves from the vine; ¼ bunch flat-leaf parsley, leaves picked and torn; 100ml light extra-virgin olive oil such as arbequina or koroneiki to serve

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by Lennox Hastie

Oct 03, 2017

Lennox Hastie shows you how to cook this tasty twist on a paella over an open fire. This is an edited extract from Finding Fire by Lennox Hastie published by Hardie Grant Books RRP $60 and is available in stores nationally.

100ml olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, finely minced
1 red chilli, deseeded, finely chopped
1 fennel bulb, peeled, finely chopped
2kg vine-ripened tomatoes, peeled, seeds removed and diced (seeds and skins retained for tomato water)
2 piquillo peppers, finely chopped
1 tsp smoked paprika (pimento)
100g aged parmesan, shaved and rind reserved
300g paella rice, such as bomba calasparra
1L tomato water
1 rosemary sprig
4–5 pesticide-free tomato leaves from the vine
¼ bunch flat-leaf parsley, leaves picked and torn
100ml light extra-virgin olive oil such as arbequina or koroneiki to serve

Method

1.

Prepare your embers and arrange a grill approximately 30cm above the embers. Spread the embers evenly across the base of the grate.
2.

In a paella pan, heat the olive oil and saute the onion, garlic and chilli together with the fennel until soft. Add tomato, piquillo pepper, pimento, parmesan rind and a good pinch of sea salt, and stir in the rice ensuring the grains are well coated and form an even layer. Carefully add the tomato water, stirring once to combine the ingredients. Simmer vigorously for 8-10 minutes, rotating the pan to ensure the rice cooks evenly.
3.

Reduce the fire and allow the rice to cook gently for a further 15 minutes, being careful not to stir. The surface of the rice should be pitted with small holes.
4.

Place the rosemary sprig and tomato leaves on top of the rice. Immediately cover with a clean, damp tea towel, remove from the heat and leave to rest for 5 minutes.
5.

Remove the tea towel and return the pan to the heat to create the soccarat, gently toasting the rice on the base of the pan for 5 minutes until it forms a golden crust. Remove from the heat and serve immediately with torn parsley leaves, shaved parmesan and a generous drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.