Serves six
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
1/2 teaspoon thyme or tarragon
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
2 cups short grain brown rice
5 cups good quality chicken stock, boiling
Chopped fresh parsley for garnish
To prepare:
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. In a heavy casserole over moderate high heat, coat the bottom with oil. Add onion and sauté until soft and translucent, about two minutes. Add herbs, salt, pepper, and rice and stir until the rice glistens, about two to three minutes. Add stock all at once, stirring well until it returns to a boil. Cover the casserole and bake until all the liquid is absorbed, about forty-to-fifty minutes. The rice will hold its shape when the dish is tipped on its side. Remove from the oven, place a paper towel under the lid and let stand until ready to serve. The rice will remain hot for up to forty-five minutes.
To serve, remove lid taste and adjust the seasonings. Spoon the rice into a custard cup, firmly pressing down so the rice will hold its shape when unmolded. Continue plating the rice, garnishing each form of rice with a pink of chopped fresh parsley.
Arrange steamed asparagus and fillet of sole with sauce on each plate and serve at once.