29 Jan Kale and Semi-Dried Tomato Rice Bake

Here’s a great vegetable main meal or side dish from Sally Wise.

For a vegetarian option substitute sliced tomatoes, sprinkled with a little salt, pepper and sugar on top instead of the bacon and you have a tasty dish vegetarians will love.

Kale and Semi-dried Tomato Rice Bake
3 eggs
Pinch cayenne pepper
1½ teaspoons salt
Pinch nutmeg
1 large grated onion, peeled and chopped very finely or grated
1 cup grated tasty cheese
¼ cup freshly grated parmesan
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
¼ teaspoon dried thyme
2 cups very finely shredded kale
½ cup chopped semi-dried tomatoes
1 cup milk
1 tablespoon sweet chilli sauce, optional
4 cups cooked rice (brown or white)

For the topping

125g chopped bacon
1 tablespoon melted butter
½ cup grated cheese
1 tablespoon freshly grated parmesan

Turn oven to 170°C.  Grease a 20cm casserole dish.

Whisk the eggs lightly, then add the cayenne, nutmeg, onion, salt, rice, grated cheese, Worcestershire sauce, thyme, silverbeet or spinach, semi-dried tomatoes, milk and rice in a large bowl and mix together very well.

Pour into the casserole dish and top with the chopped bacon, then drizzle over the melted butter, or top with grated cheese, if using.

Bake for about half an hour or until set.

Sally Wise is a bestselling cookbook author, a regular guest on ABC radio and the brains behind the Sally Wise Cooking School in Tasmania’s Derwent Valley.