Rice Pilaf with Mushrooms - © Detail - © chewoutloud.com

Classic Dishes: Rice Pilaf

Remember our Noodles Romanoff? How it combined only a bout five ingredients to make an elegant, delectable side dish that goes with just about everything? Today we continue our Classic Dishes series with a Rice dish that is just as easy to make and just as classy and versatile…

Rice Pilaf with Mushrooms - © chewoutloud.com

It’s Rice pilaf! You often see it as a side dish offered on upscale restaurant menus. The basic recipe is dead easy to do and pretty much foolproof.

 

 

 

 

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Rice Pilaf with Mushrooms,
garnished with chopped
Green Onions…
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What you need…

2 tbsp. / 30 ml Butter
2 tbsp. / 30 ml Olive Oil
1-2 cloves Garlic, finely chopped or pressed.
1 small Onion or 1/2 of a large Onion, chopped fine.
2 cups / 500 ml Long Grain White Rice (dry)
3 cups / 750 ml Chicken, Beef, Fish or Vegetable Stock, room temperature
1 cup Button Mushrooms, quartered
Salt and White Pepper to taste
1/4 cup / 60 ml Chopped Green Onion

What you do…

This Rice dish differs from most others in that it is cooked in the oven. Preheat the oven to 350 F.

In a large pan over medium heat, cook the Onion, Garlic and Mushrooms in the Oil and Butter just until the Onion turns translucent. This is officially called ‘sweating’. Really. You can use all Oil or all Butter, if you prefer. It all depends on the flavour you want to end up with.

In a flat casserole dish, combine the dry Rice and Veggie mixture. Stir gently to thoroughly combine the ingredients and coat every Rice grain with Oil / Butter.

In a sauce pan, combine Salt and Pepper, Stock and any other flavourings you’d like in your Rice Pilaf bring to a boil. Add the Stock mixture to the Rice and Veggie Mixture in the slat casserole dish and stir well to combine all ingredients evenly.

Cover with foil and place in the pre-heated oven for 30-35 minutes. Do not open the oven door during the cooking period.

Just before serving, lift off the foil and fluff the rice with a fork

Feel free to experiment…

This recipe is rally just a template for an infinite number of different Pilafs. As noted in the ingredients list, you can use any kind of stock to get different flavours. You can even use other liquids, such as Fruit Juice, or a combination of Fruit Juice and Wine. And try infusing different Herbs and Spices and incorporating different Fruits or Vegetables. You can tailor your Pilaf precisely to your entrée!

Enjoy!

~ Maggie J.