My favourite spicy baked rice

This is one of those dishes I probably wouldn't serve if I had friends coming round to dinner, but yet I love it. It's no fuss, suits what you have at hand, and the leftovers are good too.

It's great comfort food - a little bit stodgy, a little bit spicy, a little bit cheesy. And then there's the joy of the egg yolk flowing beneath your fork...

It is is loosely inspired by something I had in a restaurant several years ago. Very loosely, in fact, since I can no longer remember the original very well. It's evolved to fit my mood and tastes, as well as what's in the fridge or freezer.

Spicy baked rice

Serves four generously

500g / 1lb 2oz of your preferred long grain rice (I use brown basmati)
250g / 9oz frozen spinach, defrosted (or a pack of fresh spinach if you prefer)
Any of the following (or none if you don't have them), chopped: 1 stick celery, 1 sweet pepper, 250g/ 9oz mushrooms, or other vegetables of your choice
1 large onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 tin (400g) chopped tomatoes
4 eggs
100g/ 4oz mature Cheddar (or other hard cheese)
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper (or 1 small dried chilli, crumbled, or fresh chopped chilli to taste)
Nutmeg
1tsp paprika
1 stock cube
1tsp vegetable oil

Fry the chopped onion and garlic in the oil, along with the celery, pepper or mushrooms if you are using. Add the cayenne or chilli, paprika, and a few gratings of nutmeg. When the vegetables are softened tip in the rice, the crumbled stock cube and enough boiling water to cover.

Cook until the rice is still al dente (adding a little more water if it is getting dry), then stir in the tin of tomatoes and the defrosted spinach.The rice should be a bit on the wet side. Taste and season as you like it - you can add more of the spices if you think it needs it.

Place in an ovenproof dish, make indentations for the eggs and break the eggs in. Grate the cheese all over the top and bake in a medium oven until the egg whites are mostly set and the yolks are runny.

Alternatively, if you are in a hurry, you can poach the eggs separately, leaving them just slightly undercooked, place them in the hollows in the rice, put the cheese on top and place under the grill for a few minutes until the cheese is melted.