God bless broccoli, that faithful mainstay of supermarkets and produce drawers everywhere. Anytime you’re desperate for a green vegetable to fulfill your quota of “eating the rainbow,” it’s there, silent and sturdy, ready to go into a soup, or salad, or sandwich, or 37 other things. Think of this confetti rice as halfway between salad, side, and substantial vegetarian main. Peppered with more than a full pound of broccoli and just enough rice to fill in the gaps, it’s a textural delight of crunchy almonds, chewy golden raisins, yielding feta, and snappy jalapeño. The secret to keeping it tasty and not sulfurous is to barely cook the broccoli. Just enough heat to turn it bright green is all that’s needed. Residual heat and the acid from the lemon juice or vinegar will do the rest.
This dish is wonderful served immediately after making, barely warm, or room temperature after it’s sat for an hour or so. It works beautifully as a make-ahead meal prep dish for the week ahead too. If you’re eating meat, consider serving alongside a pan of chicken.
