BAKED MINTY RICE WITH FETA AND POMEGRANATE RELISH

Baked Minty Rice with Feta and Pomegranate Relish image

Provided by Yotam Ottolenghi

Yield 6 servings

Number Of Ingredients 17

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1/2 cup walnuts
3/4 cup pomegranate seeds (from about 1/2 large pomegranate)
3/4 cup Castelvetrano olives, pitted, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup olive oil
1/4 cup coarsely chopped fresh mint
1/4 cup coarsely chopped fresh parsley
1 tablespoon pomegranate molasses
1 garlic clove, crushed
Kosher salt, freshly ground pepper
Rice and assembly:
2 cups basmati rice
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces
3/4 teaspoons kosher salt
10 mint sprigs
8 ounces feta, sliced 1/4" thick
Ingredient info:
Pomegranate molasses can be found at Middle Eastern markets, some supermarkets, and online.

Steps:

Pomegranate relish:
Place a rack in upper third of oven; preheat to 350°F. Toast walnuts on a rimmed baking sheet, tossing once, until golden brown, 5-8 minutes. Let cool, then coarsely chop. Increase oven temperature to 450°F.
Toss walnuts, pomegranate seeds, olives, oil, mint, parsley, pomegranate molasses, and garlic in a medium bowl to combine. Season with salt and pepper.
Rice and assembly:
Combine rice, butter, and salt in a 13x9" baking dish, then pour in a scant 3 1/2 cups water; top with mint sprigs. Cover tightly with foil and bake until rice is tender and water is absorbed, 30-35 minutes. Remove from oven; pluck out mint. Fluff rice with a fork.
Heat broiler. Arrange feta over rice. Broil until rice around edges of pan is browned and crisp and feta is starting to brown, 8-10 minutes. Spoon pomegranate relish over.