Lunch Leftovers: Mushroom Hash with Black Rice

Image from nytimes.com

With temperatures rising into the 60’s by Friday, Spring is definitely in the air here in Brooklyn and I’m getting excited to crawl out of my cave and shake off the winter (and the couple extra pounds that inevitably come with it)! For me, this calls for spending a little quality time in the kitchen and getting healthy! To make things a little exciting and to keep me fueled throughout the busy workweek, I like to do a little double duty. I cook something healthy and delicious for brunch on Saturday or Sunday with enough healthy portions to pack and keep in the fridge at work for a good lunch break. So, I’ve been on the lookout for easy, tasty, and healthy recipes. This morning’s recipe comes from the New York Times feature on Martha Rose Shulman. This weekend, I am definitely giving this Mushroom Hash a go! The poached egg sounds lovely for Sunday brunch, but to make things a little easier for lunch, I find that packing a few hard boiled eggs, peeled and stored in an air tight container, will keep in the office refrigerator rather well and make for easy, quick assembly on the go. Enjoy and Be Well!

Recipe Yields: Four servings.

Advance preparation: The hash will keep for three or four days in the refrigerator.

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

2 shallots, finely chopped

2 stalks celery, finely chopped

2 pounds mushrooms, stems trimmed, chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

1/4 cup dry white wine

1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 tablespoons tomato paste, dissolved in 1/4 cup water

1 cup cooked black rice (optional but recommended)

1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley

Poached eggs for serving (optional)

Instructions:

1. Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a large, heavy nonstick skillet. Add the shallots and celery. Cook, stirring, until tender, about three minutes. Raise the heat to high, and add the mushrooms. Cook, stirring often, until they begin to color and stick to the pan, about five minutes. Turn the heat to medium-high and cook, stirring often, until the shallots and celery are tender, juicy and fragrant, five to eight minutes.

2. Add the garlic and stir for a minute, then add the wine, thyme, salt and pepper. Cook over medium heat, stirring often, for five minutes. Add the diluted tomato paste, and cook for about five minutes, pressing the mixture down into the pan, then waiting for a minute until the surface begins to brown, then stirring and pressing it down until the surface browns again. The mixture should be lightly colored and the tomato paste no longer discernible. Taste and adjust seasoning. Stir in the rice and parsley, heat through and serve — topped with a poached egg if desired — with crusty bread and a salad.