Wild Rice with Dried Cranberries, Fresh Herbs and Pine Nuts
Course: DinnerCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Easy8
servings40
minutes40
minutesI love this recipe for all occasions, but it tends to lend itself to festive meals. It complements poultry, lamb, pork and game rather well. I tend to make this for Thanksgiving so I like to use dried cranberries, leeks and chestnuts. When I make it at other time I do use the pine nuts but toast them first and I usually stick with the dried cranberries but apricots work wonderfully as well. Play around use what you enjoy. I have had a friend who loves nuts and she tried this recipe with toasted walnuts and said it came out delicious. I love this because the flavors are great and the dish is lighter than traditional stuffing. I use homemade chicken/turkey broth when making this but you can easily use vegetable broth.
Ingredients
2 cups wild rice
2 cups stock of choice, I use chicken or turkey stock
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup toasted pine nuts or 3/4 cup chestnuts
3/4 cup chopped dried apricots or 1/2 cup dried cranberries
5 Tablespoons salted butter
2 large celery ribs, finely chopped
2 large carrots, peeled and finely chopped
3 leeks or shallots or 1 medium onion, cleaned and finely diced
1 Tablespoon fresh thyme, chopped
1 Tablespoon fresh sage, chopped
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
Finely ground pepper
Directions
- In a medium sauce pan combine, rice, stock, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 2 cups water. Bring to a boil over medium high heat. Reduce heat to simmer and cover and allow to cook between 30-40 minutes. Rice should be tender, liquid could still be in the pan.
- Place dried fruit of choice in a medium bowl and cover with hot water, allow to plump for 20 minutes. Drain out water and set aside.
- In a large saute pan, melt 4 Tablespoons butter. Swirl to coat pan, and saute celery, carrots, and onion or leeks or shallots until soft and lightly browned about 5 minutes. Add thyme, sage and parsley and saute 1 more minute. Remove from heat.
- Preheat oven to 350. Grease a large casserole dish with the remaining Tablespoon butter and set aside.
- When the rice is tender, add to the vegetables. Add the pine nuts or chestnuts and the plumped up red fruit. Still to mix everything together. Season with salt and pepper.
- Pour the rice mixture into the prepared pan and cook right away for 20 minutes OR if making 1 day ahead, allow to cool and then cover and refrigerate overnight.
- If made 1 day ahead, preheat oven to 350. Add 1 cup of chicken broth and cover with foil. Cook for 30 minutes then remove foil and cook uncovered for 10 minutes.
- Serve hot or room temperature. Garnish with extra herbs.
