Arroz de Tomate — Portuguese Tomato Rice

Ingredients

• 1 cup rice
• 4 ripe tomatoes, grated (skins discarded) or 1 can chopped
• 1 onion + 3 cloves garlic
• 3 cups stock, hot
• ⅓ cup olive oil
• 1 bay leaf
• Big handful parsley or cilantro
• Fried egg per bowl (optional, encouraged)

Method

1. Soften the onion and garlic in the olive oil with the bay leaf, 5 minutes.
2. Add the tomatoes and cook down 8 minutes until jammy and brick-red.
3. Stir in the rice, then the hot stock. Simmer uncovered 15 minutes, stirring once or twice.
4. Stop while it's still loose and soupy — 'malandrinho' means the rice should slosh lazily, wetter than pilaf, looser than risotto. It thickens as it stands, so err runny.
5. Finish with herbs and serve in bowls, fried egg on top if wisdom prevails. Portugal's daily rice — humble on paper, disappearing in practice.