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Home/Casseroles/The Inestimable Vegetable Rice Tian

The Inestimable Vegetable Rice Tian

Fennel, Bell Pepper, & Summer Squash Creamy Rice Tian | LunaCafe

A “tian” refers to a large number of French layered vegetable dishes, some of which include rice and a binder of some sort (as typified by Julia Child’s Tian de Courgettes au Riz, featured in Mastering the Art of French Cooking, Volume 2).

Fennel, Bell Pepper, & Summer Squash Creamy Rice Tian | LunaCafe

I enjoy both styles but admit a particular fondness for the rich creaminess of the latter. It’s simple home cooking at its delicious best, and it lends itself to endless seasonal variation.

Fennel, Bell Pepper, & Summer Squash Creamy Rice Tian | LunaCafe

The following concept recipe can be interpreted with any number of different vegetables, such as cauliflower, broccoli, fennel, celery, bell peppers, summer squash, zucchini, winter squash, pumpkin, carrots, parsnips, or spinach.

Fennel, Bell Pepper, & Summer Squash Creamy Rice Tian | LunaCafe

It provides a great vehicle for using leftover raw vegetables, such as broccoli or celery stalks combined with a few carrots. It’s also great with onions only and fabulous with leeks.

Fennel, Bell Pepper, & Summer Squash Creamy Rice Tian | LunaCafe

For a one-dish meal, diced, cooked ham, chicken, shrimp, crab, prosciutto, or bacon can be added, along with a little more cheese.

Fennel, Bell Pepper, & Summer Squash Creamy Rice Tian | LunaCafeFennel, Bell Pepper, & Summer Squash Creamy Rice Tian

…
In this homey, satisfying tian, rice is partially cooked, enrobed in a creamy white sauce (Béchamel), combined with partially cooked veggies and Parmesan, and then baked until bubbly. Serve on its own for a simple supper, with crusty bread alongside.

Rice
½ cup raw, long-grain white rice

Béchamel Sauce
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
¾ cup chicken or vegetable stock
¾ cup milk
fine sea salt, to taste
freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Veggies
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 pounds fresh vegetables, such as:

  • 1 medium yellow onion, peeled and chopped
  • 1 fennel bulb, trimmed and chopped
  • 1 small summer squash, trimmed and cut into ½-inch cubes
  • 1 red bell pepper, stemmed, ribbed, seeded, and cut into ½-inch pieces
  • 1 orange bell pepper, stemmed, ribbed, seeded, and cut into ½-inch pieces
  • 1 poblano chile, stemmed, ribbed, seeded, and chopped (use disposable gloves)
  • 1 serrano chile, stemmed, ribbed, seeded, and chopped (use disposable gloves)
  • 1 handful baby spinach

Finishing
½ cup grated Parmesan
fine sea salt, to taste
freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, plus additional for the baking dish

  1. To prepare the rice, in a medium saucepan, bring 2 cups water to a boil and add the rice. Simmer for 5 minutes exactly and drain. Reserve.
  2. To make the Béchamel Sauce, in a medium saucepan, melt 2 tablespoons butter and stir in the flour. Cook, whisking continuously, for 2 minutes. Gradually pour in the stock and milk. Bring to a simmer to thicken the sauce, whisking all the while. Remove from the heat, and season to taste with salt and pepper. Reserve.
  3. To prepare the veggies, in a large sauté pan, melt 2 tablespoons butter, and sauté the onions (or shallots or leeks) and garlic until tender but not browned, about 10 minutes. Add the remaining veggies and cook for 3-5 minutes, until still crisp but softening slightly.
  4. To finish, in a large mixing bowl, combine the rice, sauce, veggies, and Parmesan. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
  5. Butter a 6-cup baking dish or soufflé mold. Turn the mixture into the mold and dot the top with the remaining tablespoon of butter.
  6. Bake at 425° for 20-30 minutes, until the tian is bubbling and the top is browned. The rice should absorb all the liquid. Serve hot.

Serves 6.

Cookin’ with Gas (inspiration from around the web)

  • Italicious: Zucchini and Rice Tian
  • Slashfood: French Tian Recipe & Explanation
  • Wikopedia: French Tian
  • WiseGeek: What is a Tian? 

Copyright 2012 Susan S. Bradley. All rights reserved.

Written by:
Susan S. Bradley
Published on:
October 23, 2011

Categories: Casseroles, Pasta | Rice | Grains, Side Dishes, Summer Sizzle, VegetablesTags: bechamel sauce, French, main course, recipe, rice casserole, side dish, tian, vegetable casserole, vegetarian

About Susan S. Bradley

Intrepid cook, food writer, culinary instructor, creator of the LunaCafe blog, author of Pacific Northwest Palate: Four Seasons of Great Cooking, and former director of the Northwest Culinary Academy.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Josie

    April 24, 2015 at 6:46 am

    This looks simple and delicious! Perfect spring recipe 🙂

  2. Anna

    April 23, 2015 at 9:17 pm

    Oh yum! This looks delish! Love all the vegetables and color.

  3. Nutmeg Nanny

    April 23, 2015 at 8:23 pm

    LOVE the looks of this dish. I’m a huge fan of all those vegetables layered into this dish and wish I had a bowl for dinner. Yum!

  4. Alyssa

    April 23, 2015 at 6:11 pm

    LOVE all the veggies in here (and that you’ve smothered it in a béchamel sauce too! lol). I’m totally going to try this, but might try quinoa instead of the rice. Thanks for sharing!

  5. Katie

    April 23, 2015 at 5:18 pm

    I had never heard of a tian before, but it certainly looks delicious (and colorful!).

  6. Ashley (QLCC)

    April 23, 2015 at 9:19 am

    I love this! So many veggies, but with so much flavor!

  7. Heather / girlichef

    April 23, 2015 at 8:20 am

    I don’t know that I’ve ever actually had a tian, but I’m thinking I’d be partial a creamy version, as well. I love all the veggies, and that there’s bechamel folden into the whole shebang – yum!

  8. Kacey

    April 23, 2015 at 7:36 am

    We are big rice lovers here and I am super excited about this recipe! I seriously cannot wait to try it! May be my goal this weekend.

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Susan S. Bradley

Intrepid cook, food writer, culinary instructor, creator of the LunaCafe blog, author of Pacific Northwest Palate: Four Seasons of Great Cooking, and former director of the Northwest Culinary Academy. Read More…

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