Hue and Cry: Rice with Leeks and Mushrooms

Serves 8

This simple and delicious hearty dish is good served with all types of game, meat, or fowl, or as a vegetarian main course. Use your favorite rice. Sometimes we substitute wild rice for half of the regular rice in this dish, cooking it separately from the white or brown rice. Often we add a little red or white wine in place of the stock at the end of cooking.
<ul>
<li>2 cups white or brown rice</li>
<li>4 1/2 to 5 cups hot vegetable or defatted chicken stock or water</li>
<li>1 teaspoon salt</li>
<li>2 tablespoons olive oil</li>
<li>1 tablespoon butter</li>
<li>4 leeks, about 1 1/2 pounds</li>
<li>2 cups sliced mushrooms: domestic, crimini, or wild (oyster, chanterelle, portabello, and shiitake)</li>
<li>Salt and freshly ground black pepper</li>
</ul>
1. Combine the rice, 4 cups of stock or water, and salt in a nonreactive heavy-bottomed saucepan. Cover and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to medium low. Cook white rice about 25 minutes and brown rice 45 to 50 minutes. The rice should be tender but al dente.
2. Meanwhile, clean and trim the leeks, including some green. Split them lengthwise and slice crosswise 1/4 inch thick. Heat the olive oil and butter over medium heat in a large nonstick skillet. Add the leeks and sauté about 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the mushrooms, toss them with the leeks, and cook about 3 minutes, stirring once. Add 1/4 to 1/2 cup of the remaining stock and salt and pepper to taste. Reduce the heat to medium low, cover, and cook about 5 minutes longer, stirring occasionally.
3. When the rice is done, transfer it to the pan of vegetables and toss well over medium-low heat. Add the remaining stock if necessary and taste again for seasoning. Serve hot.
Click here for the original article, <a href=”https://www.motherearthliving.com/cooking-methods/hue-and-cry.aspx”>Hue-and-Cry</a>.
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Susan Belsinger of Brookeville, Maryland, and Carolyn Dille of San Jose, California, were formerly partners in a cooking and catering enterprise that took them around the world. They have coauthored many outstanding cookbooks; their current work in progress, The Onion Book, will be published by Interweave Press.