Chef Mazi's Perfect Rice
A Mazi family favorite, this recipe uses stock and powdered mushrooms with the rice in a standard rice cooker for a more full flavored and medicinal version of a standard starch.
by Chef Zachary Mazi
Queen Boletes (Mendocino 2016. Photo by Katherine Elvin
I love collecting my own mushrooms and drying them for later use. Shiitake mushrooms, even the dried ones from the store, have a unique quality of increasing their vitamin D2 content by up to 41,000% when placed in the sun. Fresh mushrooms can be dried in the sun for the same effect. This reaction can ensure plenty of vitamin D during the winter months if you plan it right.
I estimate the amount by stuffing as many mushrooms as will fit into my herb grinder and powdering the mushrooms.
Note: This recipe was originally published by Chef Mazi in the March 2013 issue of Duff.
Objective:
Side Dish
Total Time:
About 5 hours
Yield:
About 4 servings
Suggested Mushrooms:
- Boletus edulis (porcini, penny bun, king bolete)
- Lentinula (Lentinus) edodes (shiitake)
- Pleurotus ostreatus (oyster)
Ingredients
Chicken (or Mushroom) Stock
1 lb. Onions, chopped
0.5 lb. carrots, chopped
0.5 lb. celery, chopped
5-6 gallons of cold water
5-6 lb. chicken (bones=more body, meat=more flavor)
or 0.5-1 lb. of dry mushrooms* or more, varied by your desire. Note: Boletus sure do make a tasty stock, but a good mix is a wonderful way to go! Adding fresh mushrooms will yield more color and more full bodied flavor.
Bouquet Garni
(bundle of herbs tied up together)
20 peppercorns
6 sprigs thyme
1 large bay leaf
10 stems parsley
Optionally, use also sage, lavender, etc. Go wild.
Rice
2 C rice (any variety, forbidden and long grain brown basmati have the richest flavor)
4 C stock (chicken, mushroom, or vegetable)
1/4 to 1/2 C dry powdered mushroom (oyster and shiitake are delicious)
1 to 2 T coconut oil or butter
Method
Chicken (or Mushroom) Stock
Place all ingredients in a large stock pot.
Bring stock to a boil with all ingredients, reduce to a simmer, and continue to simmer for 3-5 hours or longer, skimming off the surface scum that rises.
Rice
Put all the rice ingredients and stock in a rice cooker and press go! Makes 4 cups of rice.