SERVES: 2-4

This was inspired by an arroz verde recipe developed by Hana Asbrink for Bon Appétit, where she cooks the rice in a sofrito-like sauce. I thought, what would charring the vegetables do for flavor? And that led me to this!

ACTIVE + TOTAL TIME: 1 HR 25 MIN

SALSA

• 1 Yellow Onion, Halved
• 2 Cloves Garlic, Crushed
• 1 Jalapeño, Destemmed
• 1 Poblano, Destemmed
• 5 Oz. Spinach, Blanched 
• 1 Bunch Cilantro, Washed
• 1 Tsp. Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt (Half If Using Morton)
• ¼ Cup Water

MUSHROOMS

• 1 Lb. Mixed Mushrooms (Such as Shiitake, Oyster, etc.), Trimmed and Cut
• 1 Tsp. Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt (Half If Using Morton)
• ½ Tsp. Paprika
• ½ Tsp. Oregano
• ½ Tsp. Cumin
• 1 Tsp. Neutral Oil, Such as Canola

DRESSING

• ½ Cup Sour Cream
• 2 Tbsp. Mayonnaise 
• 2 Oz. Cotija Cheese, Crumbled
• ¼ Cup Reserved Salsa

• 2 Cups Long Grain Rice, Such as Basmati, Unwashed

• 2 Cups Water

• 1 Lime, Cut Into Wedges

PREP

• Peel the onion and slice it in half. Smash the garlic cloves and discard the skins. Remove the stems from the jalapeño and poblano; remove the seeds if you prefer less heat; set aside.
• Trim the mushrooms and transfer to a bowl. Season with salt, paprika, oregano, and cumin. Drizzle with oil and toss well to coat; set aside.
• Bring a pot of well-salted water to a boil. Add the spinach and blanch for about 10 seconds, just until wilted. Immediately remove from the heat and transfer the spinach to an ice bath to stop the cooking. Squeeze out any excess water; set aside.

COOK

• Heat oven to 375°F
• Heat a heavy-bottomed skillet over high heat. Lightly oil the pan and add the onion and peppers and cook, turning occasionally, until charred on all sides, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a plate and let cool to room temperature.
• Add the charred vegetables, garlic, spinach, cilantro, salt, and water to a blender. Blend until smooth and pourable, resembling a thin sauce.
• Measure out ¼ cup of the salsa verde and combine it with the sour cream, mayonnaise, and cheese. Stir until smooth. Reserve the remaining salsa verde for cooking the rice.
• Return a heavy-bottomed skillet to medium-high heat and add oil. Add the mushrooms in an even layer and cook, undisturbed, until well browned on the bottom. Turn and continue cooking until golden all over, working in batches if necessary, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
• Reduce the heat to medium. In the same skillet, add the reserved salsa verde and cook briefly, about 10 seconds, until slightly reduced. Add the rice and stir to coat evenly. Pour in the water and bring to a simmer. Arrange the mushrooms over the rice, then cover the skillet and transfer to the oven.
• Bake for 45 minutes. Remove from the oven and let sit, covered, for 10 minutes. Uncover and garnish with crumbled cotija, cilantro, and the reserved sour cream–salsa sauce before serving.