Porcini Mushroom and Mixed Grain Pilaf

Last thursday night, I was thinking about what I'd make for dinner Friday because I had no plans. I decided to soak some lentils, wheatberries, barley, and brown rice overnight and figure something out after work the next day. When I got home, I browsed through the pantry and found a box of dried porcini mushrooms, and decided their earthiness would pair well with a wheatberry and lentil based pot. Then I looked in the refrigerator for some vegetables, and found roasted red peppers and carrots. I also grabbed my staples - garlic, onions, parsley, stock and a lemon. And since it was Friday, I cracked open a bottle of white wine. Literally, this meal was a clean out the fridge, empty the pantry, made from staples meal, but you'd never know. It was absolutely delicious, so flavorful, light, but hearty. This meal is vegan, however feel free to top it with some crumbled goat cheese or feta crumbles. I ate this with a salad, which will be my next post.

Porcini Mushroom and Mixed Grain Pilaf

(Serves 1 large portion)

1/4 cup dried lentils

1/4 cup dried pearled barley

1/4 cup wheatberries

2 tbsp. brown or wild rice

1/4 cup dried porcini mushrooms

1 tbsp EVOO

1 garlic clove, minced

1 small yellow onion, minced

1 large or 2 medium carrots, peeled and diced

Salt and pepper

1/4 cup dry white wine

1-2 cups vegetable stock

1 roasted red pepper, minced

Handful of parsley, minced

1 lemon, zested and half of juice

Pinch of crushed red pepper flakes

Add lentils, barley, wheatberries and rice to a mixing bowl, add water, cover and soak overnight.

Add porcini mushrooms to a glass measuring cup, pour in 1 cup of boiling water, soak for 15 minutes.

Heat a pot over medium-low, add EVOO, garlic, onions, and carrots. Season with salt and pepper, saute' for 5 minutes, until tender.

Add white wine, reduce by half.

Drain grains and add to the pot, add 1 cup vegetable stock, bring to a simmer, turn to low and cover.

Drain mushrooms through a coffee filter, reserve stock.

Add mushroom stock to the pot, bring to a simmer, cover and turn to low.

Cook for 10 minutes.
Rinse mushrooms, chop, add to the pot, stir and cover.
If the pilaf needs more stock, add about 1/2 cup.
Cook covered for another 10 minutes, until grains are tender.
If not tender, add more stock, stir and cover again.
Turn heat off, stir in roasted red pepper, zest, lemon juice, parsley and crushed red pepper flakes.
Spoon into a bowl, serve.