In my opinion, wild rice is a highly underrated and underutilized ingredient. If you've never had it, the texture and taste varies greatly from your average white rice, as it's made up of four different grains (the most recognizable are the long black grains). Wild rice is also VERY high in protein and dietary fiber- it has about 6x as much protein as white rice and 9x as much dietary fiber!
Personally, I love wild rice because of its al dente texture and how versatile it is. You can cook it on its own, add veggies to it, add sausage to it, you can serve it hot, or even as a cold salad. Many people also make wild rice stuffing for Thanksgiving (it's delicious).
If you're interested in trying wild rice out for yourself (I highly recommend it, obviously), you may be surprised at how many different varieties there are to choose from. My recommendation is to go with a blend, but if your local store only has a single grain bag, go for it. Just keep in mind that cook times and liquid ratios will vary, as this specific recipe is designed for a multi-grain blend.
Well, that's enough talk, let's start cookin!
What you'll need:
1 3/4 cup Brown Onion, Chopped (about 1 large onion)
6 oz Beech Mushrooms (or any other variety you prefer)
2 Tbs Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 Tbs Fresh Oregano, Finely Minced
2 Cloves of Garlic, Chopped (not crushed)
32 oz Vegetable or Chicken Broth
1 1/2 cup Wild Rice Blend
Salt and Pepper to taste
First, heat 2 tbs of olive oil in a large wide saucepan over medium-high heat (I recommend a pan with 3-4" sides. I use one like this- Simply Calphalon Nonstick 5 Qt. Chili Pot). Add the chopped onion and mushrooms and sauté until soft and starting to caramelize (5-10 minutes). Be sure to stir periodically so it doesn't burn.
Once the onion and mushroom mixture is cooked, reduce heat to medium and add in your chopped garlic, minced oregano, and salt/pepper. (I recommend under-salting it at first, then tasting the mixture and adding more accordingly. Mushrooms are naturally salty, so it's very easy to accidentally over-salt.)
Sauté for 2 minutes and then remove the mixture to a bowl and set it aside. You will use the same pan in the next steps, so don't wash it yet.
Now it's time to cook the rice. First, place the rice in the hot pan (same one that you just cooked the onions in) and toast it for about 2-3 minutes, stirring every few seconds to prevent burning.
Next, add the broth to the rice and boil for 15 minutes. Stir every few minutes. After the 15 minutes is up, cover the pan with either foil or a lid and turn the heat to low. Cook for an additional 25-30 minutes, or until all the liquid has been absorbed and the rice reaches your desired texture.
Lastly, add the onion/mushroom mixture to the rice and stir.
Enjoy!
MUSHROOM WILD RICE
Servings: 6-8
Time: 1 hour
Difficulty: Easy
INGREDIENTS
1 3/4 cup Brown Onion, Chopped (about 1 large onion)
6 oz Beech Mushrooms (or any other variety you prefer)
2 Tbs Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 Tbs Fresh Oregano, Finely Minced
2 Cloves of Garlic, Chopped (not crushed)
32 oz Vegetable or Chicken Broth
1 1/2 cup Wild Rice Blend
Salt and Pepper to taste
METHOD
Heat 2 tbs of extra virgin olive oil in a large wide saucepan over medium-high heat (I recommend a pan with 3-4" sides).
Add the chopped onion and mushrooms, and sauté until soft and starting to caramelize (5-10 minutes). Be sure to stir periodically so it doesn't burn.
Once the onion and mushroom mixture is cooked, reduce heat to medium and add in your chopped garlic, minced oregano, and salt/pepper.
(I recommend under-salting at first, then tasting the mixture and adding more accordingly. Mushrooms are naturally salty, so it's very easy to accidentally over-salt.)
Sauté for 2 minutes and then remove the mixture to a bowl and set it aside. You will use the same pan in the next steps, so don't wash it yet.
Place the rice in the hot pan (same one that you just cooked the onions in) and toast it for about 2-3 minutes, stirring every few seconds to prevent burning.
Next, add the broth to the rice and boil for 15 minutes. Stir every few minutes.
After the 15 minutes is up, cover the pan with either foil or a lid and turn the heat to low. Cook for an additional 25-30 minutes, or until all the liquid has been absorbed and the rice reaches your desired texture.
Lastly, add the onion/mushroom mixture to the rice and stir.
Enjoy!