Carolina Gold Rice Cakes with Mushroom Ragout

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Carolina Gold Rice Cakes with Mushroom Ragout

Author: Chef Chad Blackwelder

Ingredients

Rice

• 1 cup Tidewater Grain Co. White Carolina Gold Rice or Tidewater Grain Co. Brown Carolina Gold Rice
• 2 1⁄2 c. water
• 1 bay leaf
• 1⁄2 T. Kosher or sea salt

Rice Cakes

• Cooked and Cooled rice ( as prepared above)
• one local egg
• 1⁄2 cup. panko breadcrumbs
• 1⁄4 cup. chopped, fresh herbs
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 4 pieces of NC Bloomy Brie-Style cheese such as Chapel Hill Creamery Carolina Moon cheese or Boxcarr Handmade Cheese Robiola

Mushroom Ragout

• About 1 cup of your favorite dried mushrooms + 2 c. boiling water
• 2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
• 1⁄4 c. chopped shallots
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1- 2 pounds of local fresh mushrooms, brushed clean and cut or torn into large pieces
• 2 teaspoons all-purpose flour
• 1⁄2 cup red wine
• 1 tsp. chopped fresh rosemary
• 1 tsp. chopped fresh thyme
• 2 Tbsp. chopped flat-leaf parsley
• 1 T. butter

Instructions

Rice Instructions

1. Bring water, salt and bay leaf to a boil, add rice and stir once. Return to a quick boil and then turn heat to low, stir once more and cover rice, cook for 25 minutes. Fluff rice with a fork, cover and allow to stand off the heat for 7 minutes. Distribute rice evenly on a sheet pan and let cool to at least room temperature.

Rice Cakes

1. Combine the cooled rice, egg, panko, herbs and salt and pepper to taste. Allow the mixture to rest for about 15 minutes so the breadcrumbs can rehydrate a bit. Portion the rice mixture into 4 balls. Spilt each portion and stuff with a 1 oz. piece of Carolina Moon cheese. Tightly reform each into a cake, similar to what a crab cake looks like. Make sure that the cheese is completely covered and in the middle of each cake.

Ragout Instructions

1. Place the dried mushrooms in a bowl and pour on 2 cups boiling water. Let soak 30 minutes, while you prepare the other ingredients. Place a strainer over a bowl, line it with cheesecloth or paper towels, and drain the rehydrated mushrooms. Reserve the broth. Squeeze the mushrooms over the strainer and rinse until they are free of sand. Chop coarsely.
2. Heat the olive oil over medium in a 3 to 4 quart sauce pot and add the shallots. Cook, stirring often, until tender, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the garlic, stir together for about 30 seconds, until fragrant, then add the fresh mushrooms and turn up the heat slightly. Cook until the mushrooms begin to sweat, then add a generous pinch of salt and cracked black pepper. Stir for about 5 minutes over medium-high heat as the mushrooms continue to soften and sweat.
3. Cook until the mushrooms are well browned. Add the flour and continue to cook the mushrooms, stirring, until the flour is not visible, about 1 minute. Add the reconstituted dried mushrooms and the wine; cook over medium heat. Cook, stirring, until the liquid glazes the mushrooms, about 2 minutes. Stir in the reserved dried mushroom broth, bring to a simmer, add rosemary and thyme and cook over medium heat, stirring often, until the surrounding broth is thick, about 10 minutes. Remove from the heat, stir in the butter and the parsley, taste and adjust salt and pepper as needed. Keep warm.

Finish the Dish

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. In a 10-inch skillet or nonstick pan, heat oil over medium high. Carefully add the rice cakes to the pan and cook until the bottom is golden brown. Turn rice cakes and place the pan in the oven for 10 minutes or until the center is hot and the cheese is melted. Portion 2-3 oz. of the mushroom ragout in 4 warmed bowls and top each serving with a rice cake.