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Rice Pilaf with Vermicelli and Mushrooms

By America's Test Kitchen

Published on December 8, 2009

Time

1¼ hours

Yield

Serves 4 to 6

Rice Pilaf with Vermicelli and Mushrooms

Ingredients

1 ½ cups long-grain rice 2 cups water 1 ¼ cups low-sodium beef broth ¼ ounce dried porcini mushrooms, rinsed and choppedSalt and pepper 3 tablespoons unsalted butter 4 ounces vermicelli, broken into 1-inch pieces1 small onion, chopped fine1 pound cremini mushrooms, stemmed and sliced thin2 garlic cloves, minced¼ teaspoon allspice 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme 1 tablespoon soy sauce

Instructions

  1. RINSE RICE Place rice in fine-mesh strainer and rinse under cold water until the water runs clear.
  2. HEAT BROTH Bring water, broth, and porcini to simmer in small saucepan over medium-high heat. Add 1 teaspoon salt. Cover and keep warm over lowest -possible heat.
  3. TOAST PASTA AND RICE While broth is warming, melt 1½ teaspoons butter in Dutch oven over medium heat until foaming. Add vermicelli and cook, stirring occasionally, until browned, about 3 minutes. Transfer to small bowl and set aside. Add remaining butter to pan and heat until foaming. Add onion and cremini mushrooms and sauté until lightly browned, about 10 minutes. Stir in garlic, allspice, thyme, and soy sauce and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add vermicelli and rice and stir to coat. Cook until edges of rice grains begin to turn translucent, about 3 minutes.
  4. FINISH Stir in hot porcini-broth mixture and bring to boil. Cover, reduce heat to low, and cook until liquid is absorbed and rice and pasta are tender, about 20 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand, covered, for 10 minutes. Fluff with fork. Season with salt and pepper. Serve.
Rice Pilaf with Vermicelli and Mushrooms

Rice Pilaf with Vermicelli and Mushrooms

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By America's Test Kitchen
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Time

1¼ hours

Yield

Serves 4 to 6

Ingredients

1 ½ cups long-grain rice
2 cups water
1 ¼ cups low-sodium beef broth
¼ ounce dried porcini mushrooms, rinsed and chopped
Salt and pepper
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
4 ounces vermicelli, broken into 1-inch pieces
1 small onion, chopped fine
1 pound cremini mushrooms, stemmed and sliced thin
2 garlic cloves, minced
¼ teaspoon allspice
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
1 tablespoon soy sauce

Test Kitchen Techniques

Ingredients

1 ½ cups long-grain rice
2 cups water
1 ¼ cups low-sodium beef broth
¼ ounce dried porcini mushrooms, rinsed and chopped
Salt and pepper
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
4 ounces vermicelli, broken into 1-inch pieces
1 small onion, chopped fine
1 pound cremini mushrooms, stemmed and sliced thin
2 garlic cloves, minced
¼ teaspoon allspice
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
1 tablespoon soy sauce

Test Kitchen Techniques

Ingredients

1 ½ cups long-grain rice
2 cups water
1 ¼ cups low-sodium beef broth
¼ ounce dried porcini mushrooms, rinsed and chopped
Salt and pepper
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
4 ounces vermicelli, broken into 1-inch pieces
1 small onion, chopped fine
1 pound cremini mushrooms, stemmed and sliced thin
2 garlic cloves, minced
¼ teaspoon allspice
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
1 tablespoon soy sauce

Test Kitchen Techniques

Why This Recipe Works

To prevent our Rice Pilaf with Vermicelli and Mushrooms from becoming sticky, we rinsed the grains to rid them of excess starch before cooking. Tasters thought beef broth alone was overpowering, but a mixture of broth and water delivered a great balance of flavor. To infuse the broth with earthy mushroom flavor, we added the dried porcini mushrooms directly to the warm liquid.

Instructions

  1. RINSE RICE Place rice in fine-mesh strainer and rinse under cold water until the water runs clear.
  2. HEAT BROTH Bring water, broth, and porcini to simmer in small saucepan over medium-high heat. Add 1 teaspoon salt. Cover and keep warm over lowest -possible heat.
  3. TOAST PASTA AND RICE While broth is warming, melt 1½ teaspoons butter in Dutch oven over medium heat until foaming. Add vermicelli and cook, stirring occasionally, until browned, about 3 minutes. Transfer to small bowl and set aside. Add remaining butter to pan and heat until foaming. Add onion and cremini mushrooms and sauté until lightly browned, about 10 minutes. Stir in garlic, allspice, thyme, and soy sauce and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add vermicelli and rice and stir to coat. Cook until edges of rice grains begin to turn translucent, about 3 minutes.
  4. FINISH Stir in hot porcini-broth mixture and bring to boil. Cover, reduce heat to low, and cook until liquid is absorbed and rice and pasta are tender, about 20 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand, covered, for 10 minutes. Fluff with fork. Season with salt and pepper. Serve.

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