Rice Pilaf with Mushrooms and Pine Nuts

Ingredients

• Up to 4 cups of chicken or vegetable stock, depending on the type of rice you are using, or a mixture of water and stock
• 1/2 cup pine nuts
• 5 ounces shiitake, cremini, or button mushrooms, roughly chopped
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 2 cups long grain white rice
• 1/2 cup chopped green onions or yellow onions
• 2 teaspoons salt, plus more to taste
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper, plus more to taste
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 cup chopped arugula, watercress, or 1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley

Directions

1. Measure the stock using the liquid amount called for on your rice package for 2 cups of rice. Pour it into a 2 quart saucepan and bring it to a gentle simmer. As it warms, you can take care of the pine nuts, mushrooms, and rice in the next three steps.
2. Set a large sauté pan over medium high heat, then add the pine nuts. Toast them, stirring now and then, until they turn pale golden and smell nutty. Transfer them right away to a bowl so they do not keep cooking in the pan.
3. Put the pan back on the heat and add the chopped mushrooms. Cook them without any fat, stirring occasionally, until they release much of their liquid and start to color a bit. Take the mushrooms out of the pan and set them aside; they can go into the bowl with the pine nuts.
4. Pour the olive oil into the pan and turn the heat up to high. Add the white rice, spread it across the pan, and stir so the grains get coated in oil. Cook for a couple of minutes, stirring from time to time, until the rice starts to take on color.
5. Stir in the onions and cook for a couple minutes more, just until they soften and look translucent. Add the pine nuts and mushrooms back to the rice, then take the pan off the heat.
6. Carefully transfer the rice mixture into the saucepan of hot stock. Stir in the salt and pepper. Bring everything back to a simmer, lower the heat, and cover the pan.
7. Cook the rice according the the package directions, anywhere from 15 to 45 minutes, depending on the variety you are using. Take the pan off the heat and leave it covered for 10 minutes.
8. Stir in the butter and the chopped arugula, watercress, or parsley. Fluff the rice with a fork, then season with more salt and pepper to taste.