Friday, September 9, 2011

Brown Rice with Mushrooms and Peas

I had leftover peas from the chicken dish I made the other day. A small half bag. Destined to be lost forever in the freezer, squished in and passed over for the corn, the string beans or whatever else was in there, only to be found a year later, a solid block of green freezer burn. So I had to use those vibrant green beauties.

I'm getting a bit tired of potatoes, lately we've had them roasted, frenched, baked, boiled, mashed and smashed, it was time for rice. And I had mushrooms that looked perfect but I just didn't feel like stuffing them. Not to mention I was out of kitchen practice and didn't feel like getting involved. A roasted chicken with rice was easy enough. So made it even less fussy and cheated. Boil in bag rice. Brown rice. I still tried to be somewhat healthier even if I cheated. Ten minutes in the micro. No crunch. Have I mentioned that I am rice challenged? My family was getting used to crunchy rice by the time I discovered this gem. Really is perfect for a last minute decision. And this was very last minute. My fingers were just about to dial that takeout number. Good thing, too, because this dish went perfectly with the roasted chicken and was a HUGE hit. Even with the pickiest.




Brown Rice, Mushrooms and
Recipe by There's Always Thyme to Cook
Printable Recipe

olive oil, for pan
1/4 cup shallots, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 cups brown rice, cooked to package directions (4 cups cooked rice)
1/4 cup dry white wine
1 cup chicken broth
10 oz. cremini mushrooms, sliced
1 1/2 cups frozen peas

Heat 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat.  Add shallots, garlic, and thyme. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Cook until the shallots soften and start to brown.  Raise the heat to medium-high, add a little more olive oil, if needed, and then add the mushrooms.

Stir occasionally, until the mushrooms are cooked and slightly browned. Add the wine and chicken broth and stir. Reduce the broth and wine for about five minutes. Season to taste. Stir in the cooked rice and cook until the juices are all absorbed into the rice. Mix in the peas, leave on the heat for another minute or two and then serve.



Joining Beth at Beth Fish Reads for her fun Weekend Cooking Party. Every weekend. It's open to anyone who has any kind of food-related post to share! Go on over and see some fun posts.

31 comments:

  1. Yumm that looks delicious!!, could use a bowl of that right now. i cook rice everyday but still get burnt bits or mushy rice. Now have invested on a cute rice cooker which has made my life alot easier :), have a nice week end !!

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  2. After potatoes two nights in a row, I'm quite sick of them myself. This looks delicious. I'm rice challenged too and the boil in the bag brown rice was my "go to" until my mom blessed me with a small appliance that I actually use (most gather dust!). That little rice cooker/veggie steamer is not pretty but it has been awesome. I'm going to pin your brown rice recipe to try soon. I could eat it for breakfast. Have a great weekend!

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  3. Thanks for this recipe. My mom used to make a peas, onions, mushrooms and rice dish, though she used white rice (nobody used brown rice when I was growing up in the pre-historic days, lol).

    When I don't have the 45 minutes to make brown rice, I have been using this frozen variety I find in my health food store that is microwaved in 3 minutes, and pretty tasty.

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  4. I think this would make the perfect side with a roasted chicken...I really like brown rice baked, it comes out perfectly every time. I can't seem to make rice by simmering it without it coming out mushy or undercooked.

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  5. Sounds great, my kind of comfort food:@)

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  6. I have tried the cremini mushrooms and I think it gives a nice flavor. Yum!

    You and me, like the simplest meal! Hehehe, I buy my whole rotisserie chicken, instant meal!

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  7. Rice with mushrooms are one of my favourites anytime....looks so easy to prepare and delicious!

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  8. Sounds yummy and easy. Just the kind of recipe I like. Thanks for sharing. I hope you have a lovely weekend.

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  9. What a good idea for a last minute side dish - and fast too.

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  10. Lovely simple classic dish. Like that nutty mushroom flavour.

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  11. It's funny,Carol,I haven't made rice in quite a while so this recipe comes just in time..Thankfully,we all love mushrooms at home..Wishing you a great weekend:)

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  12. I always seem to have half-empty bags of frozen peas in the fridge...and desperately need a way to use them up! This recipe sounds perfect! Healthy and delicious!

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  13. I had some brown rice stir-fry for lunch too. This looks so good with peas and mushrooms.

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  14. This is gorgeous! Just my kind of food - delicious and nutritious!
    Mary

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  15. great photo--it makes brown rice look enticing, and i'm not big on rice. great use of mushies and peas. i'm such a big fan of mushrooms but my husband just isn't on board with them. he's on a rice kick right now, though, so i might toss some peas into his rice next time i make it. :)

    great blog name, too! :)

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  16. I love recipes like these. They are easy and satisfying :)

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  17. being brown rice challenged myself, I may take your suggestion.

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  18. Thanks for the nice comments :)

    I use Success Boil 0n Bag brown rice. Ten minutes in the micro, perfect every time.

    Success Brown Rice click here

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  19. Mike has been on a brown rice kick lately and this will be prefect for him. Easy to make and delicious.

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  20. Beautiful photo! This sounds so good -- and almost any veggies could be used, depending on what was in the house. In about 1988 or so I bought myself a rice cooker. Life was never the same since. I love my rice cooker.

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  21. I use the Success brown rice also. I cook it on the stove top for seven minutes. It couldn't be easier. I think your recipe sounds wonderful with the earthy mushrooms and peas. Thank you for posting the recipe.

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  22. Looks delish! I use the short grain brown rice but yours is much quicker:-)

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  23. I have had rice for such a long time so this looks wonderful! Love the addition of the peas and mushrooms and I see white wine in the ingredient list too. Great recipe and I'll bet it was perfect with a roasted chicken!

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  24. Mushrooms and peas are two of my favorite vegetables, and I have a love for rice that is deeper than the ocean; A perfect combination of ingredients!

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  25. Oh this looks and sounds so delicious!! I really like this combination!!

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  26. I love rice,Carol!Your dish makes my mouth water!

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  27. This looks incredibly tasty, Carol. I have some peas in the freezer too. (who doesn't?!) Such a nice healthy side dish too.

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  28. Glad the family loved it! That's the best when they like what you made!

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  29. I love the nutty cruchiness of brown rice. This is a good way tp incorporate more veggie sin our diet.

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  30. oh yes, rice does take practice. my son has spent the summer learning to make both white and brown rice. He is doing pretty good at it now. He mixes the brown rice with salmon and sprinkles on some soy sauce.

    This sounds like a perfect dinner for tomorrow. Thanks.

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  31. easy ingredients and delicious. I like rice very much. Thank for this

    http://heart000.blogspot.com/

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