Recipe byThe ZestyPlate Kitchen
A comforting Albanian bake of leeks and lamb mince cooked with rice in lamb stock, baked until the rice is soft and the liquid absorbed.
This leek and rice bake is homely, filling stuff: savoury lamb mince and softened, sweet leeks cooked down into fluffy rice that has drunk up all the stock. It is essentially a one-tray meal that looks after itself once it is in the oven. Cheap to make and easy to scale, it feeds a family without any fuss.
Jump to recipe
Prep 15 min
Cook 65 min
Total 80 min
Easy
Scale:
- 500g Leek
- 400g Lamb Mince
- 1 Diced Onion
- 200g Rice
- 1 L Lamb Stock
- Pinch Salt
- Pinch Pepper
- Splash Olive Oil
Preparation
- Fry the leeks in a small dash of olive oil for a few minutes, until they begin to brown.
- Add the onion and mince and fry until everything has browned, stirring constantly so the leeks don't catch and burn.
- Stir in the rice and cook for a few minutes, making sure it is well mixed and coated in the juices.
- Add the lamb stock, salt and pepper, stir well and bring to the boil, then let it boil for 2 minutes.
- Pour the mixture into a large baking tray and put it on the bottom shelf of an oven preheated to 180°C. Bake for up to an hour, until all the liquid has gone and the rice is soft.
- When it is cooked, turn off the oven and leave the bake to cool with the door open for 10 minutes before serving.
Tips from the ZestyPlate Kitchen
- Brown the leeks, onion and mince properly first to build a savoury base.
- Stir the rice through the meaty juices so every grain is coated before the stock goes in.
- Reach for a good lamb stock, since it does much of the seasoning for you.
- Rest the bake for 10 minutes after it comes out, so the rice can finish soaking up the liquid.
Frequently Asked Questions
Long-grain white rice holds its shape and soaks up the stock nicely. Steer clear of easy-cook or risotto rice, which behave differently.
Yes. Beef works well, and turkey or a plant-based mince make a lighter or meat-free version. Adjust the stock to suit.
It probably needed more liquid or longer in the oven. Make sure the rice is fully covered with stock and cook until the liquid has gone and the grains are tender.
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