Savannah Red Rice

Total Time: 1 hr 30 mins Preparation Time: 30 mins Cook Time: 1 hr

Ingredients

• Servings: 6
• 6 slices bacon (about 1/4 pound)
• 1 cup chopped scallion (about 5 medium)
• 1 small green bell pepper, chopped (about 3/4 cup)
• 2 cups raw rice
• 1 (14 ounce) can whole tomatoes, with their juice
• 4 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 3/4 cups canned chicken broth
• 1/3 cup water
• 2 tablespoons chopped parsley, for garnish (optional)

Recipe

• 1 preheat the oven to 325 degrees.
• 2 in a large ovenproof skillet with a tight-fitting lid, cook the bacon, uncovered, over medium heat until crisp, about 10 minutes. reserving the fat in the skillet, drain the bacon on paper towels; crumble and set aside.
• 3 in the bacon fat, saute the scallions and green pepper over medium heat until the scallions are softened but not browned, about 5 minutes. add the rice and cook, stirring, for 5 minutes.
• 4 stir in the tomatoes with their juice, breaking them up with a spoon. stir in the tomato paste, paprika, sugar, hot pepper sauce, salt, black pepper, chicken broth, and water. increase the heat to medium-high and bring to a boil, stirring.
• 5 cover and bake in the oven until the rice is tender and all of the liquid is absorbed, about 45 minutes.
• 6 stir once and let stand, covered, for 10 minutes. serve sprinkled with the reserved bacon and the parsley.