Oyster Mushroom Etouffée

"Étouffée means 'smothered,' and that’s exactly what this dish is. A smothered mess of luscious oyster mushrooms, vegetables, and spices in a delicious roux-based sauce over tender boiled rice. Like most southern Louisiana dishes, traditional étouffée is made with seafood—crawfish or shrimp—to be exact. Oyster mushrooms, however, are a fantastic whole food alternative to shellfish. They’re rich in cancer-fighting antioxidants and anti-inflammatory compounds, making them just as good for our health as they are for our taste buds."

—Jenné Claiborne, Sweet Potato Soul

• 3 tablespoons grapeseed or coconut oil 
• 3 tablespoons unbleached all-purpose flour 
• 1 small yellow onion, diced 
• 2 garlic cloves, minced 
• 1 small green bell pepper, diced 
• 2 celery stalks, diced (about 1 cup) 
• ½ teaspoon salt 
• ½ (14-ounce) can diced tomatoes (about 1 cup) 
• 2½ cups Veggie Mineral Stock (page 88) or 2½ cups water plus 1 vegetable bouillon cube 
• 1 bay leaf 
• 1 teaspoon dulse seaweed flakes 
• 1 tablespoon Creole Seasoning (page 36) 
• 3 teaspoons Old Bay seasoning, plus more to taste 
• 1 pound fresh oyster mushrooms, roughly chopped (about 2 cups) 
• 2 cups cooked brown rice 
• 1 lemon 
• ½ cup chopped fresh parsley, for serving 

Method:

1. Preheat a large dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Add the oil, then sprinkle in the flour when the oil is hot. (Test the oil by dropping a pinch of flour in the oil; if it simmers, it is hot enough.) Toast the flour in the oil, stirring for a few minutes until it turns golden brown. Add the onion, garlic, bell pepper, celery, and salt and stir. Sauté on medium until the onion is translucent, about 3 minutes. Add the diced tomatoes, stock, bay leaf, dulse, Creole Seasoning, and Old Bay seasoning. Stir well and bring the pot to a simmer. Add the mushrooms and continue to simmer for 20 minutes until they become tender. 
2. Taste for seasoning and add more Old Bay seasoning if desired. Serve over rice with a squeeze of lemon juice and garnished with parsley. 

Reprinted from SWEET POTATO SOUL. Copyright @ 2018 by Jenné Claiborne. Photos copyright @ 2018 Sidney Bensimon. Published by Harmony Books, an imprint of the Crown Publishing Group, a division of Penguin Random House.