When it comes to seasonings, nothing could be more quintessentially Provençal than herbes de Provence. Made up of savory, fennel, basil, thyme, and sometimes lavender, this fragrant blend works delightfully well sprinkled over vegetables and grilled meats, adding a little taste of the sunny south to the everyday. Camargue red rice is another of my favorite ingredients from Provence. It holds its shape and bite, adding an earthy nuttiness to whatever dish it graces. Les petits farcis is a popular Provençal dish of stuffed mixed Mediterranean vegetables. It originated as a way of using up leftovers.
Ingredients
- ¾ cup (150 g) red rice, preferably Camargue
- 4 large plum tomatoes
- 4 round zucchini
- 4 small red or yellow bell peppers
- 4 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- Salt and freshly ground pepper
- 1 red onion, finely chopped
- 2 to 4 large mushrooms, wiped
- 10 cherry tomatoes, roughly chopped
- 10 olives, pitted
- 1 tbsp chopped capers, drained
- ¼ cup (40 g) raisins, soaked in warm water for 5 minutes and drained (optional)
- 2 tbsp dried herbes de Provence or a mixture of fresh herbs such as basil, thyme, and oregano
How to Make It
- Bring 1½ cups water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Add the rice, lower the heat, and cook until al dente, about 30 minutes. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment.
- While the rice is cooking, cut the tops off the plum tomatoes and zucchini and use a spoon to hollow out the insides. Place the tops and the lower parts on the lined baking sheet. Cut the bell peppers in half and remove and discard their cores. Add the bell peppers to the baking sheet and drizzle with 2 tbsp of the olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
- Heat the remaining 2 tbsp olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add the onion and mushrooms and cook for 10 minutes. Add the rice, cherry tomatoes, olives, capers, and raisins (if using) and cook for 2 minutes more. Add the herbes de Provence and check the seasoning. Spoon the filling into the vegetables. Bake for 30 minutes or until the vegetables are slightly soft. Place the hats back on the zucchini and tomatoes to serve.
