This was a once-a-week staple at our house. My dad used to say that my mum was the pilaf expert and that there was not a match in this world, for her talent to cook “pourgouri” (bulgur pilaf). Mushrooms braised in red wine is also a Cypriot favourite especially during the Greek Easter Lent.
This dish is flavoured with crushed coriander seeds, a spice Cypriots use generously in a number of dishes.
You could, of course serve the braised mushrooms with rice or over a jacket potato. But the combination of bulgur pilaf and that delicious mushroom-wine sauce is a match made in heaven.
Bulgur pilaf with braised mushrooms in wine
This was a once-a-week staple at our house. My dad used to say that my mum was the pilaf expert and that there was not a match in this world, for her talent to cook “pourgouri” (bulgur pilaf). Mushrooms braised in red wine is also a Cypriot favourite especially during the Greek Easter Lent.
Ingredients
For the pilaf:
- 2 cups of bulgur wheat
- 1/3 cups olive oil
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 100 ml tomato passata
- 3 cups vegetable or chicken broth or water
- Salt and black pepper
For the mushrooms:
- 500 grams portobello mushrooms, sliced
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 1 large onion, sliced
- 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 1 tsp tomato paste
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- 2 tsp dry coriander seeds, crushed
- 1 tsp fresh thyme, chopped
- 1 Tbsp plain flour
- 1 cup red wine
- Salt and pepper
- ¼ cup parsley, finely chopped
Instructions
- Add the olive oil to a medium pot with lid over medium heat. Sauté the onion until soft and begins to colour.
- Add the bulgur wheat, stirring to incorporate. Add the tomato passata and stir to combine all the ingredients. Pour in the vegetable stock and reduce the heat. Cover the pot and allow the bulgur to cook for 10 minutes, turn off the heat and let it stand for 20 minutes. Stir well before serving.
- In a large skillet add the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the onions and garlic and sauté until soft and beginning to colour. Increase heat to high and add the mushrooms. Cook for 2-3 minutes. Add the coriander and thyme and continue to sauté for 3-4 minutes. Add the tomato paste and mustard and mix well. Season with salt and plenty of black pepper.
- Sprinkle with the flour, stir and let it cook for 1-2 minutes. Add the wine, let it evaporate for 2-3 minutes until that the sauce becomes slightly thicker. Serve the mushrooms and their sauce with the bulgur, garnished with the parsley.
