Ingredients
For the rice pilaf:
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup orzo or broken spaghetti
Salt and pepper
1 1/2 cups long grain white rice
3 1/2 cups chicken stock/poaching liquid
1/3 cup toasted pine nuts
For the sauté:
1 tablespoon olive oil
3 tablespoons butter
1 pound mixed mushrooms, such as hen of the woods or maitake, crimini and shitake (whatever looks great at the market), stemmed and sliced
Salt and pepper
2 tablespoons thyme, chopped
1 bundle asparagus, ends trimmed, thinly sliced on bias
4 shallots, chopped
4 cloves garlic, chopped
3 tablespoons flour
1/2 cup Marsala wine or dry sherry
2 1/2 cups poaching liquid/chicken stock
2-3 cups pulled poached chicken or pulled rotisserie chicken
1/4 cup flat leaf parsley, chopped
Juice of 1/2 lemon
Directions
For the rice, heat a medium size saucepot over medium heat with the butter; melt. Add the pasta and toast to deep golden brown, nutty and fragrant; season with salt and pepper. Add the rice and stir for 1 minute; add the stock and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to simmer; cover and cook for 18 minutes, to tender. Stir in the pine nuts and fluff with a fork. Meanwhile, heat a large skillet over medium-high heat with 1 tablespoon olive oil, a turn of the pan. Melt the butter into the oil and add the mushrooms. Brown well, then add salt, pepper and the thyme, asparagus, shallots and garlic. Stir to tender-crisp, 3 minutes. Sprinkle in the flour and stir a for minute or so more. Add the Marsala or sherry and stir; add the stock and thicken until it becomes a loose gravy. Add the chicken and parsley; remove from the heat and stir in the lemon juice. Serve in shallow bowls lined with pilaf and filled with chicken sauté. This is one of many "Yum-o!" recipes – it's good and good for you. To find out more about Yum-o!, Rachael's nonprofit organization, visit www.yum-o.org.