I have just finished writing the recipe and method for this delectable dish and if someone makes it and doesn’t share a photo (I want proof) with this group, then I quit. I am sitting in the dark because I’m too tired and cranky to turn on the light. I’m terrible at writing instructions, so it’s taken me HOURS of writing and re writing this recipe and method for you so it’s easy to understand and follow. I am slowly but surely loosing my patience and on the point of lying down and drumming my heals on the floor in a full on tanty. Sitting still, focusing and writing for long periods of times is not my shtick (I’m sure I have ADHD)so I need to know that somebody is going to make this dish!!!! Rant over!
I love this dish. In fact, as I get older I want less meat (of any kind) and vegetarian fare is becoming more and more my thing. I’m partial to potatoes and pumpkin, love a leek, am keen on the old bean and zuchinni, kale, cabbage and carrots; peas please me, and anything you can put in a salad makes me glad. I always have room for mushies and I devour avocados by the dozen these days. Add fresh herbs and it’s superb. Is it just me or is anyone else feeling the similarly inclined? Well, if you do find yourself flirting with plant-based food, then this dish is for you. Jasmin rice, sweetened with soft and golden caramelised onions mixed with fresh herbs and spices that are oozing with flavour, combined with fleshy, tasty mushrooms, this dish will delight even the carnivores among us. Yes, it’s a freakin’ labour of love and when I make it again it won’t be to share, I am going to eat it all by myself (okay I will share it with my hubby) until then I look forward to seeing your efforts to bring this beauty to life.
Please Note:
I took some photos of the zucchini loaf without the garnish (You can see them below) so you can see how the zucchinis over lap, I also filmed the the zucchini slices so you can get a rough idea of how thick thick they are.
I hope this helps xx
Ingredients
Caramelised onions
4 brown onions, sliced
Pinch of salt
¼ cup oil
Ingredients
Rice filling
1 ½ cups jasmine rice
2 teaspoons salt
2 cups water
1 tablespoon oil
Ingredients
Vegetable filling
300g mushrooms, diced
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped /crushed
250g frozen spinach, thawed and drained of any liquid
50g butter
½ cup finely chopped coriander, parsley and mint
½ cup toasted pine nuts
½ cup parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon salt
Pepper to taste
Zucchini
Ingredients
4 large zucchinis
1 teaspoon parsley flakes
1 teaspoon onion salt blend
1 teaspoon coriander leaves
Oil spray
Garnish
Ingredients
Crushed pistachio nuts
Method
Caramelised onions
Heat the oil in a large pan over medium - low heat. Add the onions with a pinch of salt. Stir for a few minutes then turn heat down to low. Cook the onions slowly, as this will bring out the natural sugars in the onion, stirring occasionally until they turn soft and sticky and begin to take on a lovely deep brown colour: about 20minutes.
Method
Rice
Place rice in a pot, add oil and salt and give it a good stir, making sure the rice is coated with oil.
Pour 2 cups of water and stir. Cook rice over medium to high heat until it begins to simmer. Give it another stir and reduce heat to low. Cover with lid and cook for 15 minutes. Turn off the heat and set aside covered with lid.
Method
Vegetable filling
In a large frying pan, melt the butter over medium-low heat, add the garlic and stir until fragrant – about half a minute. Add the mushrooms and stir. Add the spinach and stir to combine. Add the pine nuts, herbs, salt and pepper, give it a good stir and remove from the heat. You don’t want the mushroom to go all soggy; you want them to remain nice and plump. The whole process shouldn’t take long.
Method
Zucchini
Pre-heat the oven to 200C
Line 2-3 baking trays with baking paper
In a small bowl mix the dried herbs together.
Slice the zucchini length ways and arrange on trays. Spray the zucchini with oil and sprinkle herbs on top. Roast in the oven until it begins to go semi soft – roughly 10-15 minutes depending on your oven.
Assembly
Pre-heat the oven 180C
In a large bowl mix the rice, vegetable filling ingredients along with the parmesan cheese and caramelised onions
Take a loaf tin dish approx. 32cm long X 5cm deep X 11Cm wide and spray it with oil.
Begin by placing one slice of zucchini at one end of the tin at the bottom of the loaf tin starting from the middle and running it up the side, letting the other end hang over the edge of the tin.
Place another slice of zucchini in the same manner you did the first one but make sure it’s overlapping. Go around the loaf tin repeating the process until the loaf tin is completely lined with zucchini. Spoon the rice mixture into the zucchini lined tin, pressing gently with the back of the spoon so it’s nice and firm. Repeat the process until you have used up all the rice.
Cover the rice with the overhanging zucchini strips, then place it in the oven for about 10-15min to fuse the ingredients together.
Garnish with crushed pistachio nuts.
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