The origin of this recipe is a Cajun dish, dirty rice. It is essentially a rice pilaf, cooked in a pot, with chicken livers and giblets. Is it possible to replicate the essence of this dish, keeping the flavor but without resorting to offal? Well yes, thanks to the mushrooms. The mushrooms that we find in any fruit shop are invaluable allies when it comes to adding flavor to our cuisine: chopped in a stir-fry, they add depth to stews and soups, thanks to their high umami content. In addition, they are very useful in vegetarian or vegan recipes because their texture and flavor are a good substitute for meat.
Some important points for this recipe to come out perfect (in addition, they are issues that will come in handy in the kitchen in general). First of all, the vegetables—onion, celery, green pepper, and mushrooms—must be chopped very finely. There are two compelling reasons: the first is that they will develop more flavor this way. The second is that the objective is that their size is not larger than that of the rice: you can chop them with a knife or with a food processor, but not in the blender because the vegetables end up chopped too much, releasing water.
Another simple and fundamental detail, the frying time: let the vegetables cook slowly and well in the oil. Take advantage of that time to chop the mushrooms, in fact it will take a little more than the minimum five minutes: as long as the vegetables don’t burn everything well. The same goes for when you let the mushrooms cook: it is important that they release all their water and that it evaporates so that the flavor can fully develop.
One last curiosity about the stir-fry: the onion + celery + green pepper trio is a staple of Cajun cuisine, so much so that it is known as “the holy trinity”. The green pepper is of the sweet type, that is to say, like the bell pepper, but green: the other green, elongated pepper, the Italian type, would give a too bitter taste in this case.
Difficulty
We ask you to chop up some mushrooms, honey.
Ingredients
for 4 people
- 360 g long rice
- 300 ml of broth (vegetable, chicken, whatever you prefer)
- 250 ml of water
- 300 g of cooked beans
- 250g mushrooms
- 60 g onion (approximately ½ medium onion)
- 60 g sweet green pepper (approximately ⅓ of a pepper)
- 60 g celery (approximately 2 stalks)
- 2 garlic cloves
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika (sweet or spicy)
- 4 garlic sprouts or the green of a fresh spring onion
- Extra virgin olive oil
- salt and black pepper
Preparation
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Chop the onion, celery and green bell pepper very, very finely.
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In a heavy-bottomed pot, heat two tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil. Add the sauce, with a little salt and black pepper, mix and cook over medium-low heat for about five minutes. You can leave it for a few more minutes, the important thing is that it doesn’t burn or stick to the bottom too much.
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Meanwhile, clean the mushrooms and chop them very, very finely (the idea is that the vegetables are no bigger than the rice, so that the final sensation in the mouth is more pleasant).
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Add the chopped mushrooms to the pot with a pinch more salt, mix and let them cook until they have released all their water and it has evaporated.
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Chop the garlic cloves and add them to the pot. Let cook for a minute.
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Raise the fire to the maximum. Add the rice, oregano, paprika, two tablespoons of olive oil, one teaspoon of salt, and more black pepper. Mix well and add the broth and water. Bring to a boil
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Reduce the heat to a minimum, cover and let cook for about 12 minutes: the rice should be done and the liquid (almost) all absorbed.
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Distribute the cooked beans on top of the rice, cover again and cook for another three minutes. Meanwhile, chop the garlic sprouts or the green onion.
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Turn off the heat, add the chopped garlic sprouts and separate the rice with a fork. Serve with a little hot sauce to feel like you’re in the Mississippi Delta.
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#Cajun #style #rice #mushrooms