Basic lessons

Brad and Cass have decided the time is here to get some hands-on cooking lessons from the old man while they still can. Basic rice pilaf is a great staple to have in your repertoire, and Cassie wanted to learn how to make it, so she helped me throw this together for part of our dinner last night. There's a few crucial skills here, including how to dice an onion, which you'll use forevermore, and the fundamental mise-en-place (getting everything ready before you start cooking), which is easy to do with this dish because there are so few ingredients. You can try the variation with mushrooms for something different, which Dylan especially should like.

Rice Pilaf with Mushrooms

Rice Pilaf

Adapted from Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone (1997) by Deborah Madison

Time: 45 minutes (for white rice; add 20 minutes for brown rice)

2 tablespoons (28 grams) butter, extra-virgin olive oil, or a combination
1 small onion or 1 large shallot (~3 ounces/85 grams), finely diced
1¼ cups (8 ounces/225 grams) long-grain white or brown rice (I like jasmine rice, white or brown)
2 cups (472 grams) boiling water for white rice, 2½ cups (590 grams) for brown
1 small bay leaf
½ teaspoon fine sea salt
freshly ground black pepper

    1. Put a kettle of water on to boil.
    2. Place the butter and/or oil in a 2- or 3-quart saucepan and warm over medium heat. Stir in the onion or shallot and sauté until translucent, about 3 minutes.
    3. Add the rice, stir to coat, and cook, stirring occasionally, for 2 minutes.
    4. Add the water, bay leaf, salt, and a few grinds of pepper. Cover, reduce the heat to low, and cook until the water is absorbed and the rice is done, about 20 minutes for white rice, 40 for brown. (You can also bake the rice in a 375 degree oven, about 30 minutes for white rice, 45 minutes for brown.)
    5. When the rice is done, place a clean dish towel under the lid, turn off the heat, and steam for another 5  minutes.
    6. Discard the bay leaf, fluff the rice up with a wooden spoon, and serve promptly. Serves 4 as a side dish.

Rice Pilaf with Mushrooms
In step 2, once the onion is translucent, stir in 1 cup (85 grams) chopped mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, for 4 minutes before adding the rice.

Curried Rice Pilaf with Basil
Use 3 tablespoons butter, canola oil, or a combination. In step 2, sauté 2 teaspoons curry powder and ⅓ cup (60 grams) golden raisins along with the onion. In step 6, stir in ¼ cup chopped mixed parsley and cilantro, 2 tablespoons basil chiffonade, and ¼ cup pine nuts or sliced or slivered almonds before serving.

Sautéed Mushrooms

Time: 12 minutes

If you buy a 10-ounce box of mushrooms, the Rice Pilaf with Mushrooms only uses 3 ounces, so I usually saute the rest of the mushrooms while the rice is cooking, and then stir them into the cooked rice pilaf once it is done steaming.

10 ounces cremini or white button mushrooms, rinsed
1 tablespoon (14 grams) unsalted butter
kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper

    1. Trim the stems of the mushrooms, then slice them ¼-inch thick.
    2. Melt the butter in a 10-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat. When the butter is foaming, stir in the mushrooms. Turn the heat up one notch or two above medium. Season the mushrooms with a good three-finger pinch of salt and a few grinds of pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms give up their liquid, the liquid evaporates, and the mushrooms are golden brown and delicious, about 6 to 8 minutes. Serve promptly. Serves 2.