Serves 3-5
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 45 minutes
Total time: 55 minutes
Ingredients
· 1/2 cup dried porcini mushrooms
· 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
· 3 tablespoons olive oil
· 1/3 cup vermicelli noodles, broken into 2 inch lengths
· 1 1/2 cup extra long grain rice, well-rinsed and drained
· 1 cinnamon stick
· 1 bay leaf
· Salt to taste
· 3 tablespoons chopped parsley (optional)
INSTRUCTIONS
Boil 3 cups of water and add dried porcini mushrooms. Set this aside, covered and off of the flame. Let the mushrooms steep in the hot water, covered for a minimum of 20 minutes. Then strain the mushrooms, and their now dark broth, though a coffee filter or a paper towel lined funnel or coffee cone. Discard or save your mushrooms for another use.
Heat butter and oil over low-medium heat until the color turns to blond in a pot of ample size to cook the rice.
Add vermicelli to pan. Stir constantly. Toast the vermicelli in the butter and oil, taking care that it doesn't burn. Once the vermicelli toasts, add drained rice to the pot. Gently stir, coating the rice in butter and oil, along with the vermicelli. In 2-3 minutes, as rice turns chalky white, add the cinnamon stick and bay leaf. Gently stir, and then add 3 cups of reserved porcini broth. Add salt to taste. Cover the pot and lower heat to low.
After 30 minutes, uncover the pot and gently fluff your rice. Cover the rice again and it let rest off of the heat for 10 minutes. Before serving you may fold in parsley if desired.