Jamaican Jerk Mushroom Rice Bowls

Mushrooms only brown when the pan has room to breathe. Tear them into rough pieces, get the skillet properly hot, and sear in batches before the TGCS Co Jamaican Jerk Mustard goes anywhere near the pan. The sauce hits at the end, where the allspice, thyme, smoke, and mustard tang tighten into the browned edges instead of steaming the mushrooms soft. Spoon the mushrooms over coconut rice with charred pineapple and lime, and you have a meatless bowl that still eats like dinner. Serves 4.

What you need

Food (coconut rice):

1 1/2 cups jasmine rice

1 can full-fat coconut milk, 400 mL

3/4 cup water

1/2 tsp kosher salt

Food (mushrooms and pineapple):

700 g mixed mushrooms, such as cremini and oyster, torn or quartered into bite-sized pieces

2 cups fresh pineapple, cut into 2 cm pieces (pat canned pineapple very dry if that is what you have)

1/3 cup TGCS Co Jamaican Jerk Mustard

2 tbsp neutral oil, divided

1 tbsp fresh lime juice

1/2 tsp kosher salt, plus more to taste

3 green onions, thinly sliced

1/2 cup cilantro leaves

1 lime, cut into wedges

Equipment:

Fine-mesh strainer

Medium pot with a tight-fitting lid

Large heavy skillet

Mixing bowl

Wide spatula

How to cook it

1. Rinse the rice in the fine-mesh strainer until the water runs mostly clear. Add it to the pot with the coconut milk, water, and salt.
2. Bring the rice to a gentle simmer over medium heat, stirring once so nothing catches. Cover, turn the heat to low, and cook for 15 minutes. Take the pot off the heat and leave it covered for another 10 minutes. (Do not lift the lid during either stretch. The trapped steam finishes the rice.)
3. While the rice cooks, whisk the TGCS Co Jamaican Jerk Mustard with the lime juice and 2 tbsp water. Keep the mixture beside the stove.
4. Spread the mushrooms on a clean towel and pat them dry. Heat the skillet over medium-high until a drop of water skitters across the surface, then add 1 tbsp oil.
5. Add half the mushrooms in one loose layer. DO NOT SALT THEM YET. Cook untouched for 3 minutes, then toss and cook another 2 to 3 minutes until the edges are bronze and the pan sounds dry instead of wet.
6. Transfer the browned mushrooms to the mixing bowl. Add the remaining oil and repeat with the second batch. (If the mushrooms are crowded, split them into three batches. More pan time beats a steamed pile.)
7. Add the pineapple to the empty hot skillet. Leave it alone for 2 minutes, then turn the pieces and cook another 2 minutes until the cut sides carry dark caramel marks.
8. Return all the mushrooms to the skillet and season with the salt. Pour in the jerk mixture and toss for 60 to 90 seconds, just until the sauce darkens, bubbles, and clings to every browned edge. Personally I pull the pan when it smells like warm allspice and char, before the mustard tightens too far.
9. Fluff the coconut rice with a fork. Divide it among four bowls, add the jerk mushrooms and charred pineapple, then finish with green onions, cilantro, and lime wedges.
10. ENJOY!