Preparation

1. Rinse rice in a bowl or in the pot in cold water until water is somewhat clear, then strain using a fine mesh strainer. Pour the vegetable stock into a 2-quart saucepan, add the rice, bay leaf and 1 Tablespoon of the olive oil, stir and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a low simmer, cover pan with lid and cook about 45-50 minutes or until the rice is tender and all of the broth has been absorbed. Remove from heat and allow to steam with lid on for 10 minutes. Fluff with fork and remove bay leaf.
2. Meanwhile, warm 1 Tablespoon of the olive oil over medium-high heat in a very large skillet. Add the cremini mushrooms and cook until mushrooms begin to brown, 4-5 minutes. Add the shiitake mushrooms and continue to brown reduce the moisture in the pan and develop that great umami flavor. Stir in the thyme. Transfer the cooked mushrooms to a plate or bowl. Add the remainingTablespoon of olive oil to the skillet and place over medium heat. Cook the onions until slightly softened, then add the carrots, celery and garlic. Cook while stirring often for about 7-10 minutes or until vegetables are tender but not mushy. Combine the mushrooms and any accumulated juices and the vegetables in the skillet. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in the rice and most of the parsley - reserving a bit to garnish when transferred to a serving dish.
3. This dish can be made ahead, refrigerated and reheated. To reheat, preheat oven to 325-350 F. Add 1/4 cup vegetable broth over the rice and cover dish tightly with foil and bake 20-30 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 165 F, stirring halfway through (adding more vegetable broth if needed). Remove the foil, fluff with fork and garnish with reserved parsley. Leftovers freeze well, but allow to thaw in the refrigerator before reheating.
4. Feel free to make your own delicious variations by adding toasted pecans, almonds, walnuts or pistachios. Dried fruit such as cherries, cranberries, raisins or apricots. Different herbs such as sage, rosemary or marjoram. Fresh orange or lemon zest are nice too.