Rice that is boiled, then sautéed in oil is the perfect side dish to serve with broiled or grilled fish or roast meats. If you are lucky enough to be able to add a handful of wild mushrooms, do not hesitate to use them in this dish. Otherwise, you will have to make do with store-bought mushrooms. A word of advice: When you gently fry the mushrooms in olive oil, salt them immediately so they absorb the salt, because if you wait, the salt will stay on the surface. From “Flavors of the Mediterranean,” by Olivier Baussan and Jean-Marie Meulien. If you can’t find the French Camargue red rice, try Bhutanese Red rice, marketed under the Lotus brand, and sold by Whole Foods Markets and other grocers. Makes 4 servings.
Ingredients
1 scant cup Camargue red rice
1 zucchini
6 tablespoons olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2/3 cup wild or store-bought mushrooms
2 tablespoons tomato concentrate or paste
Directions
Soak rice in a bowl of cold water for 1 hour, then cook it in boiling salted water 18-25 minutes. Once cooked, drain it, rinse under cold running water and drain again. Set aside.
Wash and dry zucchini, trim away the stalk and dice it into 1/4-inch cubes. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a skillet and add diced zucchini. Season with salt and cook gently, stirring from time to time, but do not let it soften. Remove zucchini and set aside.
Wash mushrooms, trim stem end, and dice into 1/4-inch cubes. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in same skillet, add mushrooms and salt them immediately. Cook on a gentle heat, but do not let them soften. Set mushrooms aside.
Heat skillet again and add 2 tablespoons oil and rice. Sauté rice, stirring, until heated through. Add zucchini, mushrooms and tomato concentrate or paste. Mix well and season to taste. Spread mixture into serving dishes and serve immediately.
Wine ideas: If what grows together goes together, then a red wine from L’Hérault, the region which holds the Camargue, should fit this dish well – especially once the mushrooms and tomato have enriched the nutty red rice. Try Les Hérétiques Vin de Pays de l’Hérault, a juicy blend of carignan and syrah that runs less than $10.-Tara Q. Thomas
