Pasta & Rice Pilaf with Lemony Brown Butter Mushrooms
Develop beautiful flavours in pasta and rice by sauteing them in oodles of butter. Pile on tender lemon-infused mushrooms and heaps of herbs for a stand-out side dish or a memorable main. Top with feta, parmesan or other cheese to turn it into main dish. Credit this to Bon Appetit, from which it is slightly adapted.
Time: 35 minutes
Serves: 4–6
Ingredients
1 1/2 lb. mushrooms of your choice
5 tablespoons olive oil, divided, plus more as needed
4 angel hair or other pasta, broken into 1/2" pieces (about 1 cup)
8 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
2 large shallots, thinly sliced
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 1/2 cups basmati or long grain rice
2 sprigs thyme or 1/2 teaspoon dried
2 bay leaves
4 cups vegetable or chicken broth
1-2 teaspoons kosher salt, plus more
1/2 ground black pepper, plus more
Zest and juice of 1 lemon
1/2 cup chopped mixed fresh herbs (such as parsley, dill, and/or tarragon) or dried herbs, according to your taste
Method
Cut or tear the mushrooms into large pieces (if using, crimini, slice 1/4" thick or, for more delicate varieties like oyster and maitake, tear into large pieces). Place in a large bowl and set aside.
Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large skillet over medium. Toast the pasta, stirring constantly, until deep golden brown, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a small bowl. Reserve the skillet.
Heat 2 tablespoons butter in a medium Dutch oven or other heavy pot over medium-high. Cook the shallots, stirring occasionally, until browned and crisp, 8–10 minutes.
Add the garlic and cook, stirring, until just starting to turn golden, about 1 minute.
Add the rice, stir to coat in shallot mixture, and cook until the edges of grains turn translucent but the centres are still opaque, 2–3 minutes (cooking off some of the starches and coating the rice in fat will help the grains stay separate when they cook in the broth).
Add pasta, thyme, bay leaves, broth, 2 teaspoons kosher salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper and stir to combine. Bring to a boil. Cover the pot and reduce the heat to low. Cook until the rice is cooked through and liquid is absorbed, 20–25 minutes. Remove from heat and let sit (still covered) 20 minutes. (Do not uncover the rice before resting—you want to keep all the steam in there.)
Meanwhile, heat 2 tablespoons oil in the reserved skillet over medium-high until just beginning to smoke. Arrange half of reserved mushrooms in a single layer in pan and cook, undisturbed, until golden brown underneath, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, toss, and continue to cook, tossing often and reducing heat as needed to prevent scorching, until golden brown all over, about 5 minutes longer. Transfer to a plate. Repeat with remaining mushrooms and 2 Tbsp. oil and more salt and pepper.
Cook the remaining 6 tablespoons butter in same skillet over medium-high heat, stirring often, until it foams, then just starts to brown, about 4 minutes. Add the mushrooms and cook, tossing often and spooning the butter over, until the butter smells nutty (it should have deepened in color even more), about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in lemon zest, lemon juice, and half of the herbs. Taste and season with more salt and pepper if needed.
To serve, uncover the pilaf and fluff with a fork. Transfer to a platter or large shallow bowl. Spoon the mushrooms over and drizzle with any sauce remaining in skillet. Top with remaining herbs and season with more pepper.
Develop beautiful flavours in pasta and rice by sauteing them in oodles of butter. Pile on tender lemon-infused mushrooms and heaps of herbs for a stand-out side dish or a memorable main. Top with feta, parmesan or other cheese to turn it into main dish. Credit this to Bon Appetit, from which it is slightly adapted.
Time: 35 minutes
Serves: 4–6
Ingredients
1 1/2 lb. mushrooms of your choice
5 tablespoons olive oil, divided, plus more as needed
4 angel hair or other pasta, broken into 1/2" pieces (about 1 cup)
8 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
2 large shallots, thinly sliced
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 1/2 cups basmati or long grain rice
2 sprigs thyme or 1/2 teaspoon dried
2 bay leaves
4 cups vegetable or chicken broth
1-2 teaspoons kosher salt, plus more
1/2 ground black pepper, plus more
Zest and juice of 1 lemon
1/2 cup chopped mixed fresh herbs (such as parsley, dill, and/or tarragon) or dried herbs, according to your taste
Method
Cut or tear the mushrooms into large pieces (if using, crimini, slice 1/4" thick or, for more delicate varieties like oyster and maitake, tear into large pieces). Place in a large bowl and set aside.
Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large skillet over medium. Toast the pasta, stirring constantly, until deep golden brown, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a small bowl. Reserve the skillet.
Heat 2 tablespoons butter in a medium Dutch oven or other heavy pot over medium-high. Cook the shallots, stirring occasionally, until browned and crisp, 8–10 minutes.
Add the garlic and cook, stirring, until just starting to turn golden, about 1 minute.
Add the rice, stir to coat in shallot mixture, and cook until the edges of grains turn translucent but the centres are still opaque, 2–3 minutes (cooking off some of the starches and coating the rice in fat will help the grains stay separate when they cook in the broth).
Add pasta, thyme, bay leaves, broth, 2 teaspoons kosher salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper and stir to combine. Bring to a boil. Cover the pot and reduce the heat to low. Cook until the rice is cooked through and liquid is absorbed, 20–25 minutes. Remove from heat and let sit (still covered) 20 minutes. (Do not uncover the rice before resting—you want to keep all the steam in there.)
Meanwhile, heat 2 tablespoons oil in the reserved skillet over medium-high until just beginning to smoke. Arrange half of reserved mushrooms in a single layer in pan and cook, undisturbed, until golden brown underneath, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, toss, and continue to cook, tossing often and reducing heat as needed to prevent scorching, until golden brown all over, about 5 minutes longer. Transfer to a plate. Repeat with remaining mushrooms and 2 Tbsp. oil and more salt and pepper.
Cook the remaining 6 tablespoons butter in same skillet over medium-high heat, stirring often, until it foams, then just starts to brown, about 4 minutes. Add the mushrooms and cook, tossing often and spooning the butter over, until the butter smells nutty (it should have deepened in color even more), about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in lemon zest, lemon juice, and half of the herbs. Taste and season with more salt and pepper if needed.
To serve, uncover the pilaf and fluff with a fork. Transfer to a platter or large shallow bowl. Spoon the mushrooms over and drizzle with any sauce remaining in skillet. Top with remaining herbs and season with more pepper.