Asparagus, Rice and Sweet Pea Casserole | Riceland

Ingredients

• 2 cups low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
• 10-ounces fresh asparagus, trimmed
• 4 Tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
• 3 Tablespoons canola oil, divided
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 1 cup thinly sliced celery
• 1 cup chopped bell peppers (use a variety of colors)
• 1 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves, crushed
• 1 teaspoon dried rosemary leaves, crushed
• 1 teaspoon Aleppo pepper, optional
• 8-ounces fresh portobello mushrooms, stemmed and thinly sliced
• 1 cup heavy cream
• Cream of Mushroom Soup Substitute (recipe follows) or 2 (10.5-ounce) cans reduced-sodium cream of mushroom soup
• 1 cup frozen sweet peas, thawed
• 2 cups cooked Riceland Parboil Gold
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
• 2 cups freshly shredded cheese, divided use (I used Sharp White Cheddar and Smoked Gruyere. Use a full-flavored cheese of your choice. See Notes.)
• 1 1/4 cups panko
• Fresh flat-leaf parsley as garnish
• 2 cups cooked, chopped chicken or fully-cooked hickory smoked ham, optional