Recipe: Crispy Grains and Portabella Mushrooms (with wild rice, lemon, garlic and herbs)

CRISPY GRAINS AND PORTABELLA MUSHROOMS

There are so many things you can do with grains: roasting, braising and frying them, as well as boiling. This recipe is a good example.

1/3 cup wheatberries
1/2 cup wild rice
1/2 cup pearl barley
1/3 cup millet
1 cup quinoa
1/3 cup buckwheat
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon tarragon leaves
1 tablespoon parsley leaves
1 tablespoon thyme leaves
1 tablespoon finely chopped chives
4 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

FOR THE MUSHROOMS:
3 medium portabella mushrooms
2 cloves garlic, sliced
1 tablespoon olive oil

Place the wheatberries in a saucepan with 4 cups of salted water. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 40 minutes. Drain and rinse under cold running water and set aside.

Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Place the wild rice in a saucepan with 3 cups of salted water. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer for 20 to 25 minutes. Drain and rinse under cold running water and set aside.

To cook the mushrooms, remove the stems and thoroughly clean the caps. Place them ribbed side up in a baking dish and scatter the garlic over them. Drizzle with the olive oil, season with salt and pepper and pour in 1/2 cup of water. Cover and transfer to the oven for 25 to 30 minutes.

Place the barley in a small saucepan with 3 cups of sated water. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer for 18 to 20 minutes. Drain and rinse under cold running water. Set aside.

Place the millet in a saucepan with 1 cup of salted water. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Drain and rinse under cold runner water and set aside.

In a small saucepan, toast the quinoa over medium-high heat for 2 minutes. Add 3 cups of salted water. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Drain and rinse under cold running water and set aside.

In a small saucepan, toast the buckwheat over medium-high heat for about 1 1/2 minutes until it becomes fragrant. Add 1 cup of salted water and bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. Cook until the buckwheat grains just begin to split, about 2 to 3 minutes. Drain and rinse under cold running water and set aside.

Place all the grains in a large bowl, stir gently until well mixed then transfer the grains to a baking sheet lined with kitchen towel and leave them to dry completely. (The grains can be prepared 1 day in advance up to this point then covered and refrigerated.)

Remove the mushrooms from the oven and discard the garlic. Cut the mushrooms into triangles. Strain and reserve the cooking juices. Set aside.

Divide the grains into 3 batches. In a large nonstick skillet over high heat, add 2 teaspoons of olive oil. Add one-third of the grain mixture to the pan and spread it out to evenly cover the skillet. Without stirring, cook the grains for 2 minutes or until they form a light brown crust and begin to pop. Then stir the grains, toss and continue cooking for another 2 minutes. Remove the grains to a medium bowl, and set aside in a warm place. Repeat the cooking procedure with the remaining two batches of grains.

To the bowl of grains, add the herbs, lemon juice, mushrooms, salt and pepper and stir to combine. Serve with the reserved mushroom cooking juices spooned around.

Makes 6 servings
Source: The Lake House Cookbook by Trudie Styler and Joseph Sponzo