Cazuela of Vegetables and Rice

Warm, hearty and comforting is the way I would describe this dish. Cazuela recipes could consist of soups, stoups(as Rachel Ray would say) or stews all cooked in one pot. Most times they are cooked low and slow and served right out of the cazuela served family style. The rice and hominy make this a hearty vegetarian dish.

Ingredients

Olive oil
1 cup onion, diced
4 large carrots, peeled and sliced
4 stalks celery, sliced
1 poblano pepper, diced
1 yellow bell pepper, diced
1 serrano or jalapeño, minced
Salt and pepper, to taste
1/2 cup sun dried tomatoes, sliced thin(not the ones in oil) or you can use 3 fresh roma tomatoes, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
8 cups vegetable broth
4 cups white potatoes, sliced into chunks
1/3 cup fresh parsley or cilantro, chopped
2 bay leaves
2 teaspoons cumin
Juice of 1 lemon
15 ounce can of golden hominy, drained and rinsed
1/2 cup uncooked rice, long grain ( I used jasmine)
6 corn niblets

Directions

1. In a large dutch oven pot, heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil to medium heat. Add onion, carrots, celery and all peppers. Season lightly with salt and pepper and cook for 5 to 6 minutes.

2. Add tomatoes and garlic and cook for another 5 minutes. Add in broth, potatoes, parsley, bay leaves, cumin, lemon juice and hominy. Bring to a boil, taste for salt. Reduce to simmer, add in the rice and continue cooking until potatoes are tender and rice is cooked. Add in the corn and cook just until warmed through. Yields 6 hearty servings. Garnish with avocado, cilantro and lemon wedges and serve with warm corn tortillas.