Baked Rice with Roasted Corn, Peppers & Onions

1. Position racks in upper and lower thirds of oven; preheat broiler. Place bell peppers on a baking sheet and broil on the top rack, turning every 5 minutes, until the skin is blistered on all sides, 20 to 25 minutes. Transfer the peppers to a large bowl, cover and let steam until the skins are loosened, 10 minutes. Uncover; when cool enough to handle, remove the skins. Discard stems, seeds and ribs; dice the peppers into small pieces.

2. To roast garlic for Roasted Garlic Mayonnaise: Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees F. Place the head of garlic on a piece of foil, drizzle with 1 teaspoon oil and wrap into a package. Roast directly on the oven rack until the cloves are soft, 30 to 40 minutes.

3. Meanwhile, heat a deep, straight-sided, 12-inch, broiler-proof skillet or Dutch oven over high heat. Add corn and cook, stirring occasionally, until the kernels are moderately browned, 2 to 4 minutes; transfer to a bowl.

4. Bring broth (or water) to a simmer in a saucepan: 3 1/2 cups for brown rice, 4 cups for arborio.

5. Wash and dry the skillet or Dutch oven, return it to high heat and add oil. Add the diced peppers, the corn, onion, thyme, bay leaf, cloves and saffron. Cook, stirring frequently, until the vegetables are seared, about 2 minutes. Reduce heat to medium; add minced garlic, salt and pepper and cook, stirring frequently, for 3 minutes. Add paprika, tomato paste and rice; cook, stirring occasionally, for 2 minutes more. Stir in simmering broth (or water). Bring to a boil. Cover and transfer to the oven.

6. Bake until the liquid is absorbed and the rice is tender: 40 to 50 minutes for brown rice, 30 minutes for arborio. Let the rice stand, covered, for 5 minutes.

7. To prepare Roasted Garlic Mayonnaise: Squeeze the roasted garlic (Step 2) into a blender or food processor. Add the remaining 4 1/2 teaspoons oil, tofu, lemon juice, paprika, salt and cayenne. Puree until smooth, scraping down the sides of the bowl once or twice, if necessary. Transfer to a small bowl.

8. Remove the bay leaf and cloves from the rice. Garnish with parsley; serve with the garlic mayonnaise.

Make Ahead Tip

Cover and refrigerate the baked rice and mayonnaise separately for up to 3 days.

Tips

To cut kernels from the cob, stand an ear of corn on one end and slice the kernels off with a sharp knife.

The dried stigma from Crocus sativus, saffron adds flavor and golden color to a variety of Middle Eastern, African and European foods. Find it in the spice section of supermarkets, gourmet shops or at tienda.com. It will keep in an airtight container for several years.