Bermudan Style Rice

This was posted for ZWT III, from Caribbean Choice. A lovely rich tasting rice side cooked mainly in the oven so no pot watching!

• Ready In: 45 mins
• Serves: 4-6

Ingredients

• 6  slices bacon, chopped
• 1  onion, minced
• 1  green bell pepper, minced
• 2  cups chopped tomatoes, and their juices
• 1⁄4 cup tomato paste
• 1 1⁄2 cups rice, medium grain
• 1⁄2 teaspoon dried thyme
• 2  cups water or 2  cups  chicken stock

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Cook the bacon in a an ovenproof pan until crisp, remove from pan, let cool.
3. In the pan drippings from the bacon, over medium heat, cook the onion for 3 minutes. Add the bell pepper and sauté for 1 minute. Add the tomatoes and their juices, the tomato paste, the rice, salt, and pepper to taste, and the thyme, and sauté for 1 minute. Add the water and bring to a boil. Cover the pan and place it into the oven for 30 minutes.
4. Remove the rice from the oven. Using a fork, fluff the cooked rice and mix in the crisp crumbled bacon before serving.