Savannah Red Rice

Alan in SW Florida's Note:

This dish is a specialty of Georgia and South Carolina (where it is simply called red rice). Cooks in other parts of the country will recognize it as Spanish rice.

• Total Time: 1 hrs 30 mins
• Prep Time: 30 mins
• Cook Time: 1 hrs

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)

Directions:

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.