If you haven't tried black rice before, don't be scared. It's good stuff. More similar in taste and texture to wild rice than to either brown or white rice. You can also try it in this warm fall salad I made a couple of years ago, which is still a favorite.

Mushroom Marinade

You can skip this step entirely and just stuff the mushrooms plain, if you prefer.

  • 2 lb. (1 kg.) mushrooms (your choice of loose white, button, baby bella, or stuffing mushrooms)
  • ½ cup oil
  • ½ cup balsamic vinegar
  • 1 tsp. Dijon mustard
  • 4 cloves garlic, crushed
  • 1 tsp. kosher salt
  1. Remove the mushrooms stems and set aside. You will use these in the filling.
  2. Wipe any dirt off the mushrooms with a dry paper towel. Place the mushrooms in a zip-top bag.
  3. Whisk the oil, balsamic vinegar, mustard, crushed garlic, and salt together in a bowl. Pour into the bag with the mushrooms. Seal the bag and shake gently to coat the mushrooms. Marinate for 30-60 minutes.

Vegan Parmesan

  • ⅓ cup cashews (raw or roasted)
  • 1 tbsp. nutritional yeast
  • ⅛ tsp. garlic powder
  • ¼ tsp. kosher salt
  1. Pulse all ingredients together in a small blender or food processor (or use a mortar and pestle if you want to do it by hand) until most is finely ground but there are still some crumb-like pieces.

Stuffing

  • ¾ cup black rice
  • 1 ½ cups water or vegetable stock
  • 1 small onion, finely diced
  • 1 thin leek
  • Mushroom stems, finely diced
  • 2-3 tbsp. oil
  • salt
  • ⅓ cup raisins
  • 4 tbsp. vegan parmesan
  1. Pour the rice and water into a small pot and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer, cook for 40 minutes. Turn off the heat, leave the cover on for 5 minutes. Remove the lid and wait another 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork.
  2. Cut and clean the leek. Remove the tough dark green leaves at the end, as well as the root, until you have just the tender light green and white parts. Slice in half lengthwise and wash well to remove any sand and dirt. Slice finely into half-rounds.
  3. Heat a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Add 2-3 tbsp. oil and the onion and leek. Sprinkle with salt. Saute until golden.
  4. While the onions and leeks are cooking, dice the mushroom stems you removed earlier. Add to the pan and saute until golden.
  5. Roughly chop the raisins and soak in hot water for 10 minutes.
  6. Mix the sauteed vegetables with the black rice, 4 tablespoons of the vegan parmesan, and the raisins. Taste, add salt as needed.

To Assemble

  1. Remove mushrooms from the marinade. Shake off excess liquid. Lay mushrooms, open side facing up, on two parchment-paper lined baking sheets.
  2. Bake at 350°F (180°C) for 10 minutes. Remove from oven, let cool for 10 minutes, and spill out any liquid the mushrooms let out during baking.
  3. Fill the cavity of each mushroom generously with the stuffing and return to the pan. Dust with remaining vegan parmesan and return to the oven for another 15 minutes. Serve immediately.
Recipe adapted from Minimalist Baker.
Recipe adapted from Minimalist Baker.