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mamadebI'm going to my inlaws tomorrow - just an hour's trip across the city, no big. After due discussion, it was decided I would bring what I always bring - rice pilaf. This makes a vegetarian dish that takes the place of the dressing (always cooked outside the bird anyway) that my brother-in-law will eat. He doesn't like stuffing.
It's sitting in my oven now. And I think it's going to be one of my better ones.
Prior to cooking, I soaked a package of dried mushrooms in hot water. As I'm not a mise en place sort of cook, the rest happened as I cooked.
I chopped two spanish onions coarsely and began to saute them in olive oil in my 5 qt dutch oven. While they cooked, I tossed a handful of slivered almonds into a dry pan and toasted them. I took a few minutes to chop three Portobello mushroom caps and tossed them, some salt and a lot of freshly ground pepper into the pot. When the almonds browned, I added them. To keep the veggies from burning, I poured in a little water, and I also added the bayleaves.
Meanwhile, I strained the soaking water from the mushrooms into a measuring cup (came out exactly one cup. Go me) and put the mushrooms in with the other items. Then I chopped a half pound of white mushrooms and put them in the pot. I stirred until the white mushrooms were cooked. Then I put in three cups of brown basmati rice, and stirred it around the pot until it was well mixed with the onions and mushrooms. Then I added the cup of soaking water and three and a half cups of plain. I covered the pot and brought it to a boil, and then slid it into a 225 deg oven for two hours. It's sitting on top of the stove now.
It's a little wet, so I'm letting it sit with the lid off for a bit, and it needs salt, but I can't do anything about that, as my husband and mother-in-law have to limit salt in their diets. Otherwise,though, it's rich and meaty tasting, and the almonds add a nice texture and crunch to the whole thing.
It's sitting in my oven now. And I think it's going to be one of my better ones.
Prior to cooking, I soaked a package of dried mushrooms in hot water. As I'm not a mise en place sort of cook, the rest happened as I cooked.
I chopped two spanish onions coarsely and began to saute them in olive oil in my 5 qt dutch oven. While they cooked, I tossed a handful of slivered almonds into a dry pan and toasted them. I took a few minutes to chop three Portobello mushroom caps and tossed them, some salt and a lot of freshly ground pepper into the pot. When the almonds browned, I added them. To keep the veggies from burning, I poured in a little water, and I also added the bayleaves.
Meanwhile, I strained the soaking water from the mushrooms into a measuring cup (came out exactly one cup. Go me) and put the mushrooms in with the other items. Then I chopped a half pound of white mushrooms and put them in the pot. I stirred until the white mushrooms were cooked. Then I put in three cups of brown basmati rice, and stirred it around the pot until it was well mixed with the onions and mushrooms. Then I added the cup of soaking water and three and a half cups of plain. I covered the pot and brought it to a boil, and then slid it into a 225 deg oven for two hours. It's sitting on top of the stove now.
It's a little wet, so I'm letting it sit with the lid off for a bit, and it needs salt, but I can't do anything about that, as my husband and mother-in-law have to limit salt in their diets. Otherwise,though, it's rich and meaty tasting, and the almonds add a nice texture and crunch to the whole thing.