vegetable-pilaf stacks

I made these vegetable-pilaf stacks for a dinner party last night and H wanted the receipe. Let's see if she reads my blog!

1 package (6 oz.) seasoned precooked dried white rice (like rice-a-roni type box)
2 onions (about 1 lb. total), peeled and sliced
1 tablespoon butter or margarine
3/4 pound broccoli florets (about 1 qt.)
Salad oil
1 jar (about 13 oz.) canned peeled roasted red peppers, drained and chopped
1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, rinsed
Parsley sprigs
Salt and fresh-ground pepper

1. In a 2- to 3-quart pan, cook rice as directed on package.
2. Meanwhile, in a 10- to 12-inch frying pan over medium-high heat, stir onions in butter until limp and just beginning to brown, about 4 minutes. Pour into a bowl.

3. Add broccoli and 1/4 cup water to pan. Bring to a boil over high heat; cover, reduce heat, and simmer until broccoli is barely tender when pierced, about 5 minutes. Drain.

4. Remove labels from 4 empty food cans (about 2 3/4 in. wide and 4 1/4 in. tall; 14-oz. to 1-lb. size), each with 1 end removed; wash cans with soap, and dry. Rub interiors of cans lightly with oil and set, open end up and slightly apart, in a 10- by 15-inch pan. Spoon 2 tablespoons hot cooked rice into each can and press down with a spoon to compact and make level. Spoon 1/2 cup broccoli onto rice in each can, then 1/4 cup onions and 1 1/2 tablespoons roasted peppers, spreading each level. Continue to layer all ingredients, packing down with a spoon to compact layers as you add each, ending with rice.

5. Bake in a 375° regular or convection oven until stacks are hot (about 145°) in the center, 20 to 25 minutes. Let rest in cans in pan for 5 minutes. One at a time, invert a dinner plate over each can; hold together and invert can onto plate. With a can opener, cut each can end free; press end down lightly and lift up can to release vegetable-pilaf stack. Lift off can and can end. Garnish plates with cherry tomatoes and parsley. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Yield: Makes 4 servings
From Sunset Magazine 2001
NUTRITION PER SERVING
CALORIES 285(20% from fat); FAT 6.4g (sat 2.3g); PROTEIN 8.7g; CHOLESTEROL