Did you know that children eat better when they help cook their own meals? Rice dishes are a fantastic opportunity to get little hands involved in preparation. Kids can assist with measuring and rinsing rice, adding ingredients to the pot, and sprinkling the necessary dash of spices as needed. This tried and true mushroom dish comes from PJ Library parent and author of the Cuban Reuben food blog, Jennifer Stempel. Her own little sous chef is a huge helper when it comes to making this yummy side or one-pot meal.
While you enjoy your mushroom medley, be sure to listen to “Sweet Town Rivals,” an episode of the PJ Library podcast, Have I Got a Story For You, that features some mushroom-loving characters.
Ingredients:
2 cups uncooked brown rice
Low sodium broth or stock
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 small sweet onion, cut in half, and thinly sliced
1 pint cremini or baby bella mushrooms, thinly sliced
1 pint *shitake or other mushrooms, thinly sliced
4 cloves of garlic, finely minced
½ teaspoon kosher salt
⅛ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
*Optional: 1 tablespoon of butter
Preparation:
-
Cook the rice according to package instructions, *substituting broth or stock for water. Set aside.
-
In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium/high heat.
-
Add sliced onions, and stir until translucent, about 3-5 minutes.
-
Stir in sliced mushrooms, and allow to soften, about 5 minutes.
-
Add garlic, salt, and pepper, and stir to combine.
-
Lower heat, and cook another 10 minutes, until onions and mushrooms are completely cooked and soft.
-
Fluff brown rice with a fork, and fold in mushroom mixture and Italian parsley.
-
Optional: Dot with little bits of butter, amounting to one tablespoon total. Let the butter dots melt before serving.
TIPS
*Using broth or stock instead of water to cook rice adds an extra layer of flavor. We recommend using low sodium chicken broth to cook the rice, but vegetable broth would work, too.
*Using a variety of mushrooms, our star ingredient, will create a richer mushroom flavor in the dish.
April 28, 2020