Rice Pilaf with Vermicelli and Mushrooms

Ingredients
1 ¹⁄₂ cups rice
2 cups water
1 ¹⁄₄ cups beef broth
Salt and pepper
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
4 ounces cut spaghetti or spaghetti broken into 1-inch pieces
1 small onion, chopped fine
1 pound button mushrooms, thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
¹⁄₄ teaspoon ground allspice
1 tablespoon fresh thyme, chopped
1 tablespoon soy sauce

Instructions
1. Place rice in sieve and rinse under cold water until the water runs clear. 

2. Microwave water and beef broth until hot, about 5 minutes. 

3. Melt 1 ¹⁄₂ teaspoons butter in Dutch oven over medium heat until foaming.  Add pasta 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, mushrooms, and sauté until lightly browned, about 10 to 15 minutes.  Stir in garlic, allspice, thyme, and soy sauce and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.  Add pasta and rice and stir to coat.  Cook until edges of rice grains begin to turn translucent, about 3 minutes. 

4. Stir in warmed broth 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. 

Comments
This recipe is from the 2010 Cook’s Country Annual.  It’s essentially homemade rice-a-roni and it was pretty tasty.  However, I did think it was a little bit bland and I’m not entirely sure why.  Next time I’ll add more spices, more salt, more broth instead of a mix of broth water… I’ll tweak it up somehow. 

Shown here with Strip Steaks with Balsamic Cream Sauce.

Cook’s Country 2010