I don’t know if I am just uber passionate about my food loves or that I can’t grow enough of anything to give a glut large enough to actually make me sick of certain foods. Or maybe a little of both.

I let the last batch of asparagus run wild rather than eat it with great difficulty. It’s done really well this year though and I hope my self control will mean an even greater feasting next spring. Silverbeet (swiss chard) however is still in ample supply. Which is fine by me. A long as I show enought restraint to let some of it go to seed all will be well. It’s years now since I bought aspargus crowns or swiss card seedlings. In fact, I’ve been too lay to save the silverbeet seeds some years and just it let it sow itself. Gorgeous vegetable.

After a busy day, I was all prepared for a meal that required minimal input from me. I knew a busy day was at hand so I had pre-soaked some brown rice. I found a recipe typed on a scrap of paper in my recipe folder, no idea where it came from originally and jiggled it around into a simple yet tasty and very hearty vegetarian feast.

Brown Rice

photo by Rob Qld, some rights reserved

Cheesy Silverbeet, Mushrooms and Brown Rice
1 1/2 cups brown rice, preferably soaked all day or overnight
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
8 – 10 mushrooms, sliced
1 bunch silverbeet, finely cut
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 cups tasty cheese, grated
1 cup cottage cheese
1/2 cup tasty cheese, grated, extra
cayenne pepper

  1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees. Grease a baking dish or casserole dish
  2. Cook brown rice by your preferred method (30 minutes in the thermomix steamer basket for me)
  3. Heat oil and butter in a fry pan. Add garlic and mushrooms. When mushrooms start to soften, add silverbeet. When wilted, add cheeses, turn off heat and stir to combine.
  4. Place half the rice evenly across the bottom of the casserole dish. Layer silverbeet mixture on top of that. Make final layer with remaining rice.
  5. Top with extra cheese and sprinkle with cayenne.
  6. Place in oven until cheese on top is melted and starting to brown (about 20 minutes).