Shitake Mushroom and Spinach Rice

I went to Whole Foods the other day and got some organic spinach and organic shitake mushrooms. I needed to make something with these fresh ingredients, and since I was out of quinoa I opted for a rice dish. Have you ever made rice with vegetable broth instead of water? Until recently, I didn't even know you could. Not only is it delicious, but it's a great way to use up any broth you might have left over from another recipe. (I've never, ever used up that "last bit" before. Now I know how I can!)

I winged this recipe and definitely see room for improvement... but... it tasted really, really good. You really can't go wrong with shitake mushrooms. For those of you who don't like mushrooms to being with, well, I'm not sure you're completely sane. Heehe



Ingredients

2 cups vegetable broth
1 cup rice (any kind will do, but I used regular white)

5 Tbs butter (approximate, adjust to taste)
1/2 lb shitake mushrooms
2 garlic cloves
1 bundle fresh spinach (about 1/4 lb?)
1 Tbs flour
Sea Salt and Ground Pepper, to taste

Use low-sodium for a healthier version!

Begin by adding vegetable broth (use part water if you don't have enough, or for a milder flavor) and rice in a large sauce pot. Bring to a boil, and stir. Reduce heat, cover and simmer until cooked. (See package for times.)

While the rice cooks, dice the garlic and chop up your mushrooms into medium pieces. Melt 2 Tbs of butter in a pan and add garlic. Sautee around 4 minutes, or until it begins to brown. Add mushrooms. 

Now take the other 3 Tbs of butter and melt over low heat in another pan. Once melted, gradually add the flour, constantly stirring to prevent burning. (This is a roux, used to thicked sauces.)

Briefly sautee fresh spinach (add about 1 tsp water to the pan) and put to the side.

This is where the "room for improvement" comes in. Shitake mushrooms do NOT release nearly as much juice as other mushrooms do. In fact, they barely released any at all. Given that, I will either not use the roux next time or try adding water or cream to the mushrooms after they've cooked a bit to have more of an actual sauce.

When the roux is ready, pour the mushroom mixture into it and mix thoroughly.

When the rice is done, toss in the spinach and add rice.

Serve and enjoy!

I actually added a bit more butter to my dish, since the roux made it a bit dry. This isn't exactly a healthy dish, but it's delicious all the same. Do you have any tips or trade secrets to share?