Brown and Wild Rice Bowl with Broccoli Pesto and Wild Mushrooms

More delicious broccoli and rice. 🙂 My husband and son ate this rice bowl topped with grilled chicken. I thought that it was perfect as is!

This recipe was adapted from Sara Moulton.com. I actually doubled this full-flavored broccoli pesto and served the extra batch over penne with chopped fresh tomatoes.

Yield: Serves 4

For the Rice Bowl:

• 2/3 cup brown Basmati rice
• 1/3 cup wild rice
• 2 cups vegetable or chicken stock (or water with 1/2 teaspoon salt), divided
• 1 cup broccoli pesto (recipe below)
• 3 T extra-virgin olive oil
• 10 ounces sliced wild mushrooms (I used cremini mushrooms)
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, for garnish

1. Combine the rice in a small saucepan with 1 3/4 cup of the stock, bring the stock to a boil, turn down to a bare simmer, cover the top with a paper towel and a lid and cook for 45 minutes. Remove from the heat and let stand for 10 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat the oil over medium heat.
3. Add the mushrooms and saute, stirring occasionally, until most of the liquid the mushrooms give off is evaporated.
4. Add the broccoli pesto and cook stirring for 1 minute.
5. Fluff the rice with a fork and add it to the mushrooms. Cook, stirring, until combine well.
6. Add the remaining  1/4 cup broth and salt and pepper, to taste.
7. To serve, spoon into bowls and sprinkle with freshly grated cheese.

For the Broccoli Pesto:

Yield: about 2 cups

• 1/2 cup slivered blanched almonds or chopped walnuts
• 6 ounces broccoli, trimmed if necessary and coarsely chopped
• 1/4 cup chopped scallions
• 2 ounces Parmigiano-Reggiano, finely grated
• 3 T extra virgin olive oil
• 3 large garlic cloves, minced
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

1. Preheat the oven to 350 F, preferably on convection.
2. Spread out the nuts on a rimmed baking sheet and toast until golden, 7 to 10 minutes. Remove to a cooling rack and let cool to room temperature.
3. Combine the cooled almonds, broccoli, scallions, cheese, olive oil and garlic in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the chopping blade.
4. Pulse until the mixture is finely chopped but not pureed.
5. Transfer the pesto to a bowl and stir in salt and pepper to taste.
6. Use as directed in recipe.

Note: The pesto will keep in the fridge for 3 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Creamy Bucatini with Crispy Mushrooms

As in my last post, this wonderful dish is also part of Bon Appétit’s Most Popular Recipes of 2019. I made this and several other dishes on the list before it was compiled- apparently I was not alone! 😉

This recipe was adapted from Bon Appétit, contributed by Andy Baraghani. I added garlic and white wine. Yummy comfort food.

Yield: Serves 4

• 4 T extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• 1 lb mixed mushrooms (such as maitake, oyster, crimini, and/or shiitake), torn into bite-size pieces (I used 10oz quartered cremini and 8oz torn shiitake)
• Kosher salt
• 2 medium shallots, finely chopped
• 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1 lb spaghetti or 12 oz bucatini
• 1/2 cup white wine
• 1/2 cup reserved pasta water
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1/3 cup finely chopped parsley
• zest and juice of 1/2 lemon
• 2 T unsalted butter, cut into pieces
• 1/2 oz Parmesan, finely grated (about 1/2 cup), plus more for serving (I used Parmigiano-Reggiano)
• freshly ground black pepper

1. Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a large pot over medium-high. Cook half of mushrooms in a single layer, undisturbed, until edges are brown and starting to crisp, about 3 minutes. Give mushrooms a toss and continue to cook, tossing occasionally, until all sides are brown and crisp, about 5 minutes more.
2. Using a slotted spoon, transfer mushrooms to a plate; season with salt.
3. Repeat with remaining 2 tablespoons of oil and mushrooms and more salt.
4. Finely chop the shallots and garlic in a mini-food processor, if desired.
5. Reduce heat to medium-low and return all of the mushrooms to the pot. Add shallots and garlic; cook, stirring often, until shallots are translucent and softened, about 2 minutes.
6. Meanwhile, cook pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water, stirring occasionally, until very al dente, about 2 minutes less than package directions. Reserve 1 cup of pasta water.
7. Using tongs, transfer pasta to pot with mushrooms and add cream, white wine, and 1/2 cup pasta cooking liquid.
8. Increase heat to medium, bring to a simmer, and cook, tossing constantly, until pasta is al dente and liquid is slightly thickened, about 3 minutes.
9. Remove pot from heat. Add lemon zest and juice, parsley, butter, 1/2 oz Parmesan, and lots of pepper and toss to combine.
10. Taste and season with more salt if needed. Adjust consistency with additional pasta water, if needed.
11. Divide pasta among bowls and top with more Parmesan and parsley, as desired.

Wild Mushroom Crêpes with Sunny Eggs

When we lived in Chicago, one of our favorite weekend traditions in the winter was going to see a movie and then eating at La Creperie. The restaurant was cozy and warm and the food was delicious. This dish brought us back there. 🙂

This wonderful dinner was also reminiscent of the mushroom crêpes that my Mother-in-Law serves on Christmas Eve as part of a traditional multi-course Ukrainian feast. I loved that this version incorporated roasted wild mushrooms- it made them rich with mushroom flavor. Incorporating an egg made them hearty enough to serve for dinner. (This dish really could be served any meal of the day.)

This recipe was adapted from a Food and Wine “staff favorite” recipe contributed by Twin Cities chef Thomas Boemer. I increased the garlic and modified the proportions and method. We ate them with roasted asparagus on the side. Perfect!

I’m sharing my cozy dish at Angie’s Fiesta Friday #215 this week, co-hosted by Laurena@ Life Diet Health and Alex @Turks Who Eat. Enjoy!

Yield: Serves 6

For the Filling:

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 10 ounces wild mushrooms, 
such as hen-of-the-
woods or oyster, torn 
into bite-size pieces
 (I used sliced cremini mushrooms)
• 1 teaspoon finely chopped thyme, plus more for garnish
• 2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped parsley
• fine sea salt
• freshly ground black pepper

For the Sauce:

• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 1 cup heavy cream, divided
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• fine sea salt

For the Crêpes:

• 10 large eggs, divided
• 1 cup whole milk
• 1 cup bread flour
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted, plus more for brushing (I used canola oil for brushing the pan.)
• 1 teaspoon coarse salt
• mesclun greens, for serving

Make the Filling:

1. Preheat oven to 400°F, preferably on convection roast.
2. In a large cast-iron skillet (I used a 12-inch), melt 2 tablespoons butter over moderately high heat.
3. Add mushrooms, thyme, and garlic.
4. Transfer to preheated oven, and roast until mushrooms are tender and lightly browned, about 15 minutes. (I stirred them after 10 minutes.)
5. Stir in parsley and season with salt and pepper.

Make the Sauce:

1. In a medium saucepan (I used a 1.5 quart), melt 1 tablespoon butter over moderate heat.
2. Whisk in all-purpose flour until combined.
3. Gradually whisk in 1/2 cup cream and simmer until thickened, about 2 minutes.
4. Gradually whisk in remaining 1/2 cup cream, nutmeg, and 1/2 cup of the mushroom filling.
5. Simmer over low heat, stirring occasionally, until no floury taste remains, about 7 minutes.
6. Transfer to a food processor, blender, or using an immersion blender in the pot, purée until smooth.
7. Return sauce to pan and season with salt to taste. Keep warm.

Make the Crêpes:

1. In a medium bowl, whisk 4 eggs, milk, bread flour, melted butter, and kosher salt until smooth.
2. Heat a 10-inch nonstick skillet or crêpe pan over moderate heat; brush with melted butter or oil. (I did 2 pans at once.)
3. Add about 1/4 cup of the batter, about one-sixth, swirling to coat the pan evenly. Cook until lightly browned on bottom, about 2 minutes.
4. Using a spatula, flip crêpe; reduce heat to moderately low.
5. Arrange about one-sixth of the remaining mushroom sauce in a ring on crêpe, about 4 large spoonfuls, and immediately crack 
1 egg in center of ring. Lift the ring and allow the egg white to spread around the crêpe.
6. Cook until egg white is set and yolk is still runny, about 3 minutes.
7. Top with a few mesclun leaves. Drizzle with one-sixth of the roasted mushroom filling, mushroom sauce, and garnish with thyme, salt, and pepper. Transfer to a plate.
8. Repeat procedure to make 5 more crepes. Serve immediately.

One Year Ago: Buckwheat Popovers

Two Years Ago: Pear Clafoutis

Three Years Ago: Vanilla-Bean Sablés and Viennese Sablés

Four Years Ago: Bread Machine Brioche

Five Years Ago: Asparagus Gruyère Tart

Wild Rice & Mushroom Casserole

This hearty vegetarian main course casserole would be a lovely option to serve vegetarian guests during the holidays. We ate it as a cozy winter meal with roasted broccoli and green salad.

The puréed beans add creaminess to the filling. After reading comments about this recipe online, I was apprehensive to include all of the bean liquid required in the original recipe because others had complained that the final consistency was mushy. I only used half of a cup but next time I would include 1 cup or even additional liquid (noted below).

This recipe was adapted from The New York Times, contributed by Melissa Clark. I substituted celery for fennel, added a chipotle chile, used mixed baby greens, and reduced the breadcrumbs, beans, liquid, and baking time. It was the ultimate dish to utilize my brand new giant 14-inch skillet. Yay! The vegetables could be cooked in batches if using a smaller pan, of course.

Yield: 12 servings

• 2 ¼ cups vegetable, mushroom or chicken stock
• coarse salt
• 1 ¼ cups wild rice, rinsed
• 9 t0 10 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, more as needed
• 24 oz sliced mushrooms, preferably a mix of different kinds (I used cremini mushrooms.)
• 3 leeks, white and light green parts only, thinly sliced
• 1 celery heart or 2 fennel bulbs, trimmed and chopped
• 5 ounces mixed baby kale, chard, and spinach
• 7 fat garlic cloves (4 chopped, 3 finely grated or crushed into a paste)
• ½ tablespoon tomato paste
• ⅛ teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 3 (14-ounce) cans white beans, strained with liquid reserved (I used cannellini beans.)
• 1 chipotle chile in adobo sauce (about 2 tsp)
• 3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
• ⅓ cup chopped fresh cilantro (or basil)
• ⅓ cup chopped fresh parsley
• 1 1/4 cups panko or coarse bread crumbs
• 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, chopped
• 1 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest
• ⅓ cup grated Parmesan cheese, optional

1. Taste broth; if bland, season to taste with salt. In a medium pot, bring broth to a boil over high heat. Stir in rice, lower heat, cover and simmer until just tender, about 1 hour, or according to package directions. Fluff rice with a fork, cover and let stand for 10 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, sauté vegetables: In a large, heavy skillet, heat 3 tablespoons oil over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms and cook, stirring, until brown and crispy, about 8 to 10 minutes. (If using a smaller pan, cook in batches, adding oil if necessary.)
3. Adjust heat as needed to prevent burning. Transfer cooked mushrooms to a plate and sprinkle lightly with salt.
4. In the empty skillet, heat 2 tablespoons oil over medium heat. Stir in leeks, fennel/celery and 1 teaspoon salt; cook, stirring, until soft but not browned, about 8 minutes.
5. Stir in baby greens, chopped garlic, tomato paste and red pepper flakes, and cook until garlic starts turning golden, another 2 minutes. Remove skillet from heat.
6. Heat oven to 400 degrees, and oil a 9-by-13-inch casserole dish. (I used cooking oil spray.)
7. In a blender, purée 2 cans beans with 1/2 cup to 1 cup of the reserved liquid, chipotle, lemon juice, 1 grated garlic clove, and salt to taste. (I used a Vitamix.)
8. Stir bean purée, remaining whole beans (drained), mushrooms, cilantro, parsley and cooked wild rice into skillet with vegetables. Taste and add more salt or lemon as needed; it should be well seasoned. Add additional bean liquid, if necessary, in order to achieve desired consistency. Scrape into prepared baking dish.
9. In a small bowl, combine bread crumbs, rosemary, lemon zest, remaining 2 grated garlic cloves and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Stir in 1/4 cup olive oil and Parmesan, if using.
10. Sprinkle evenly on top of casserole and bake until golden, 15 to 20 minutes. Let cool slightly before serving.

Note: To make part of this recipe in advance, assemble casserole and prepare topping (separately) up to 24 hours ahead. Refrigerate, covered, in separate containers. Just before baking, spread breadcrumb topping evenly over the casserole. Cover with foil and bake for 20 minutes. Remove foil and continue baking until heated through and topping is golden, another 20 to 30 minutes.

One Year Ago:

• Cauliflower Gratin

Two Years Ago:

• Slow Cooker Mushroom Stroganoff with Egg Noodles
• Wild Rice & Mushroom Soup

Three Years Ago:

• Easy Mushroom Lasagna

Four Years Ago:

• Mushroom, Spinach, Barley, & Bacon Soup
• Vegetable Strudel Casserole

Five Years Ago:

• Mushroom-Leek Bread Pudding
• New Orleans Red Beans & Rice with Pickled Peppers
• Stuffing with Mushrooms & Bacon

Turkey à la King

Is it okay to make a comfort food dish using leftovers from a comfort food meal? Hope so! 😉

This dish reminds me of a chicken dish that I used to make –long ago– for my husband served over waffles. No wonder he loved this upgraded version! It was a wonderful way to use the rest of our leftover Thanksgiving turkey. It would also be fabulous with rotisserie chicken meat.

This recipe was adapted from The New York Times, contributed by Sam Sifton. I doubled the recipe to accommodate all of my leftover turkey. We ate this creamy concoction with my favorite Sweet Potato Biscuits, but it would also be amazing served over waffles, as a crepe filling, or with noodles. My son ate some over toast. Great.

• 1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter
• 2-3 T olive oil
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 to 3 1/2 cups turkey or chicken stock, low-sodium if store-bought
• 1 pound sliced mushrooms, ideally wild (I used cremini mushrooms)
• 3 cups shredded cooked turkey or rotisserie chicken
• 1 cup heavy cream or half & half
• 2 cups frozen peas
• 4 tablespoons dry sherry
• coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• finely chopped parsley, for garnish

1. Make a roux. In a small saucepan set over medium heat, melt 4 tablespoons of the butter. When it begins to foam, sprinkle the flour over it, and whisk to combine, then continue whisking until it begins to turn the color of straw, approximately 7-10 minutes.
2. Slowly add 1 cup of the stock to this mixture, and stir to combine. Add more stock to thin the sauce. Keep warm.
3. Set a large sauté pan over medium-high heat, and add the olive oil.
4. Add the mushrooms, and cook, until the mushrooms have released their moisture and begun to get glossy and soft, approximately 7-10 minutes.
5. Add the turkey (or chicken), then the warm sauce and cream, and stir to combine.
6. Add the peas, then cook, stirring occasionally, until the mixture is hot and has thickened slightly, approximately 7-10 minutes.
7. Stir in the sherry, adjust seasonings and serve over biscuits or toast, rice or buttered noodles, or as a crepe filling or waffle topping, garnished with the parsley.

One Year Ago:

• Fancy Chicken Tetrazzini

Two Years Ago:

• Turkey & Spinach Curry
• Whole-Grain Stuffing with Spinach, Mushrooms, & Fontina

Three Years Ago:

• Butternut Squash & Cornbread Stuffing Muffins
• Twice Baked Potato Casserole

Four Years Ago:

• Spice-Rubbed Roast Turkey
• Aleppo Pepper Gravy

Five Years Ago:

• Cornbread Stuffing with Bacon & Greens

Spaghetti Pie with Wild Mushrooms & Spinach

This is a cheesy and delicious vegetarian comfort food dish. The pie was inspired by roadside diner spaghetti sandwiches in New Zealand! 🙂

This recipe was adapted from Food and Wine, contributed by Gail Simmons. I increased the amount of garlic and spinach and modified the baking time for a convection oven. I used a combination of cremini and shiitake mushrooms. Wonderful.

Yield: serves 8 to 10

• unsalted butter, softened, for brushing the pan or cooking oil spray
• 1 pound spaghetti
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 medium yellow onion, minced
• 4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• 1 pound mixed wild mushrooms, such as cremini, porcini and stemmed shiitakes, cut into 1-inch pieces
• coarse salt
• freshly ground black pepper
• 6 ounces baby spinach
• 3 large eggs
• 1 1/2 cups whole milk
• 3 cups shredded Fontina cheese (10 ounces)
• 1 cup fresh ricotta cheese
• 1 cup finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped sage
• 1 tablespoon thyme leaves

1. Preheat the oven to 425°, preferably on convection. Tightly wrap the outside of 
a 9-inch springform pan with foil and brush the inside with butter or spray with cooking oil.
2. In a pot of salted boiling water, cook the spaghetti 
until barely al dente; drain.
3. In a large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil. Add the onion and garlic and cook over moderately high heat, stirring, until sizzling, about 1 minute.
4. Add the mushrooms, season with salt and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until browned, 10 to 12 minutes. Scrape into a bowl.
5. In the same skillet, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Add the spinach, season with salt and pepper and cook over moderate heat, stirring, until just wilted, about 2 minutes. Incorporate all of the brown bits from the bottom of the pan.
6. Scrape spinach into the mushrooms and let cool slightly.
7. In a large bowl, beat the eggs with the milk.
8. Add the spaghetti, mushroom mixture, 3 cheeses, sage, thyme, 1 1/2 teaspoons of salt and 1 teaspoon of pepper; mix well.
9. Scrape into the prepared pan and smooth the top.
10. Set the pan on a baking sheet and bake for about 30 minutes in a convection oven or 35 minutes in a standard oven, until bubbling and the top 
is golden.
11. Let stand for 15 minutes. Remove the ring, cut 
the pie into wedges and serve.

I’m sharing my pie at Angie’s Fiesta Friday #196, co-hosted by Jhuls @The Not So Creative Cook and Antonia @ Zoale.com. Enjoy!

One Year Ago:

• Curried Squash Galette

Two Years Ago:

• Green-Lentil Curry

Three Years Ago:

• Pad See Ew #2

Four Years Ago:

• Baked Orzo, Bacon, Feta, & Spinach Custard

Mushroom, Spinach, Barley, & Bacon Soup

My brother gave me Ottolenghi’s “Plenty” for Christmas- it was on my wish list. To be silly he gave it to me with another cookbook titled “Bacon Nation”! The funniest part of this story is that I tried a recipe from “Bacon Nation” first. 🙂 This soup was ultra-flavorful, hearty, and LOADED with mushrooms. The spinach and carrots gave an otherwise “brown” soup a wonderful pop of color. The house smelled divine as it cooked too! This recipe was adapted from Bacon Nation by Peter Kaminsky & Marie Rama.

Yield: Serves 8 to 10

• 8 slices thick-cut bacon, cut into 1/4-inch pieces (I used nitrate-free)
• 2 medium-size onions, finely chopped
• 24 oz cremini mushrooms, wiped clean, stems trimmed, and sliced into 1/2-inch thick pieces
• 10 oz white button mushrooms,  wiped clean, stems trimmed, and sliced into 1/2-inch thick pieces
• .88 oz mixed dried wild mushrooms (including porcini, shiitake, black, & oyster mushrooms)
• 6 large cloves of garlic, finely chopped
• 1/4 cup plus 2 T dry sherry, divided
• 8 cups stock (I used 4 cups homemade Turkey Stock, and 4 cups boxed chicken stock)
• 4 large carrots, trimmed, peeled, and chopped into 1/2-inch pieces
• 1 1/2 cups pearl barley (I used par-cooked barley from Trader Joe’s)
• 2 bay leaves
• coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 4 tsp fresh thyme leaves, or 2 tsp dried thyme leaves
• 6 oz baby spinach

1. Cook the bacon in a soup pot or large saucepan over medium heat until browned but not too crisp and most of the fat is rendered, 5 to 7 minutes, stirring often and adjusting the heat as necessary.
2. Add the onions and cook over medium-high heat until it begins to soften, about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
3. Stir in the fresh and dried mushrooms and the garlic and cook until the mushrooms release their liquid, 5 to 6 minutes, stirring occasionally. 
4. Add 6 T of the sherry and let boil for about 1 minute to reduce the liquid slightly.
5. Stir in the stock, carrots, barley, bay leaf, and 3 cups water. Cover the pot and let the soup come to a boil. Then, reduce the heat as necessary and let the soup simmer, partially covered, stirring occasionally, until the barley is barely tender, 35 to 40 minutes for standard barley, 15-20 minutes for par-cooked barley. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
6. Add the thyme and the remaining 6 T sherry and let simmer until the flavors blend, about 3 minutes.
7. Add the spinach, increase the heat to high, cover the pot, and cook the spinach until just wilted, about 1 minute. Remove and discard the bay leaf before serving the soup.

One Year Ago:

• Mushroom and Leek Bread Pudding
• Creamy Tomato Soup with Egg “Noodles”

If you like this you may also like:

• Mushroom, Leek & Wild Rice Soup