INGREDIENTS:

• 30g butter
• 1 large onion, chopped finely
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 2 celery sticks, chopped finely
• 1 large red pepper, chopped finely
• 250ml raw white rice
• 500ml chicken stock
• 1 x 410g can chopped tomatoes
• 4 sprigs of thyme
• 1 bay leaf
• Small handful fresh parsley, chopped
• Pinch cayenne pepper
• 250g chicken breast, cooked
• 200g cooked ham, diced
• 100g prawns, peeled and cooked

METHOD:

Preheat oven to 180C.

In a large saucepan, melt the butter. Add the onion, garlic, celery and red pepper and fry gently until soft.

Add rice and stir well, making sure all grains are coated in butter.

Add chicken stock, tomato, thyme, bay leaf, half the parsley and cayenne pepper, and bring to the boil. Season with salt and ground black pepper. Transfer the mixture into a large oven-proof casserole dish and bake for one hour with the lid on, stirring occasionally.

Fifteen minutes before the end of the cooking time, add cooked diced chicken, ham and prawns to warm through.

Serve scattered with the remainder of the chopped parsley.

SERVES: Six

TIME: One hour, 15 minutes