Mushroom Heaven

Cooking is an art, a form of self expression, which feeds both the body and the soul.  One of my favorite hobbies is cobbling together bits and pieces of different recipes into something better than any of the originals.  Following the jump is one such astounding success.

It takes a good 2 1/2 hours to make this beast, but it feeds me for a week and tastes like I'm eating at a 5 star restaurant.  I think I've died and gone to heaven just about now.

This can be turned vegetarian by using vegetable stock instead of chicken broth and using extra fresh mushrooms and eggplant in place of the chicken.  To go full vegan you'd need to find some sort of alternative to cream.  I'm not sure what in particular that would be, though.


Ingredients


1/4 c dried mushrooms
8 oz fresh mushrooms
1 eggplant
1 medium chopped onion
2 cloves garlic
3 tbsp olive oil
1 lbs skinless boneless chicken breast
1 cup brown, black or wild rice
2 cups frozen green peas, thawed
1/2 cup half and half or heavy whipping cream
2 bouillon cubes
1 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp sweet basil
1/2 tsp marjoram
1/2 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp rosemary
1/2 tsp thyme
salt
pepper


Directions


1) Skin the eggplant partially or completely if you find the taste too bitter, or leave the skin on if you like.  Cut the eggplant into 1-inch cubes.  Add 1/2 to 1 tsp salt depending on size of eggplant and toss the eggplant until well mixed.  Allow eggplant to rest in collander at room temperature for one hour.

2) Boil 2c water and remove from heat.  Stir in dried mushrooms and allow to soak for 20 minutes.

3) Chop the garlic and set aside.

4) Chop the onion and fresh mushrooms.  Heat olive oil in a large pan and add onions and mushrooms.  Pepper to taste.  Saute 4 minutes or until onions are tender and then remove from heat.

5) Wait for the soaking mushrooms to finish their 20 minutes if they have not already. Remove the rehydrated mushrooms from the water and press out as much liquid as possible.  Save the liquid!  Chop rehydrated mushrooms and set aside.

6)  Add enough additional water to the remaining mushroom water until you have a little more than neccessary to cook your preferred type of rice.  Check packaging for amount, overshooting slightly.  For example, if 2 cups water are called for instead use 2 1/4.

7) Bring liquid to a boil and dissolve bouillon cubes.  Add rice and 1c of the onion mixture to liquid.  Add remaining onion mixture to rehydrated mushrooms.  Lower heat, cover and cook until rice is done (check packaging for time).  Liquid should be almost but not completely absorbed.

8) Chop the chicken into 1-inch cubes.  Sprinkle with paprika and saute until cooked through.  Remove from pan and add to rehydrated mushrooms.

9) By now the eggplant should have been resting 1 hour.  If not, take a break until your timer goes off!  Press the eggplant between paper towels.  Repeat as needed to remove as much liquid as possible.  This removes the bitterness from the eggplant.

10) If needed, add more olive oil to the pan.  Saute the eggplant 5 minutes or until cooked through. The eggplant should not be under cooked!  Add garlic and italian spices (basil, marjoram, oregano, rosemary, thyme) and continue cooking 1 minute.  Remove from pan and add to chicken.

11) By now your rice should be finished cooking.  If not, wait for it.  Add all reserved and remaining ingredients to rice.  (rehydrated mushrooms, chicken, eggplant, peas, cream)  Cover and simmer over low heat for 10 minutes.

12)  Salt to taste, enjoy!