Mushroom Rice Pilaf
A savory rice pilaf with mushrooms, onions, and garlic.

Recipe by Paul Mayville

This recipe demonstrates how versatile rice is. We mearly substitute the beef for the chicken stock and the mushrooms for the vegetables, add a little spice, and though the recipe is neartly identical to the saffron version, the result is a much different tasting rice dish.

Ingredients

• 4 tablespoons butter, divided
• 1 cup sliced mushrooms
• 1/2 medium onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• salt and pepper, to taste
• 2 cups long-grain rice
• 3 cups beef stock
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1 whole bay leaf

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large saute pan over medium heat melt 1 tablespoon of the butter and saute mushrooms until liquid clarifies, about 10 minutes. Remove mushrooms and set aside. In same pan melt remaining 3 tablespoons of butter and add onion, garlic, salt and pepper and sweat until aromatic, stirring often. Add rice and stir to coat. Continue stirring until rice begins to smell slightly nutty.

Add beef stock, chili powder and bay leaf; raise heat to high and bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. Return mushrooms to pan, cover and place pan in oven to cook for 15 minutes.

Allow to rest at room temperature, covered, for 10 minutes before turning out into a large bowl to serve.

Serves 8