Wild rice and mushrooms

July 30, 2009

Sometimes, in the middle of winter, we start looking for a dish that will pep up a meal. The seasonal vegetables get a bit boring or we need a side dish that will add contrasting colour and texture. Enter wild rice.

It goes well with dishes like a rack of lamb or duck breast.  Versatile, the cooked grain can be combined with other ingredients for a stuffing for vegetables or poultry. It can also be substituted for burghul in tabbouleh.

It’s an aquatic cereal grain of the Zizania genus and grows in river and lake bed areas in North America. This ancient grain, which dates back about 12,000 years, has been found in layers of the earth.

It marries well with mushrooms as in today’s dish. You can further enhance the flavour if you add some soaked dried mushrooms during preparation.

Wild rice and mushrooms

2 shallots, finely chopped
2 rashers of bacon, diced
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
400g small brown mushrooms, wiped clean with a damp paper towel, and sliced
1 cup wild rice
3 cups chicken stock
freshly ground pepper
chopped parsley

Heat the butter and olive oil in a pot, add the shallots and bacon and sauté till the shallots soften. Add the sliced mushrooms and sauté for five minutes. Drain off any excess liquid - add it to the stock- but leave just a little for reheating later. Season with a little salt if needed and set the mushrooms aside until required.

Place the wild rice and stock in a large saucepan. Bring to the boil, cover and simmer until tender, checking every few minutes. About 35-45 minutes is usual. Cook it a little less if you prefer it chewier. It should not be mushy. The liquid will have probably all but cooked away by then, which is the aim. This preserves the flavour and nutrients.

Stir in the mushrooms, check the seasoning adding salt and freshly ground pepper to taste, return to the stovetop and heat through until hot, stirring.

Place in a serving bowl and sprinkle on some chopped parsley.

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