I grew up in Northern MN. My dad would buy 50# burlap sacks of wild rice every fall. We ate wild rice with everything--much like other families ate potatoes--potatoes were always a treat for us (something other than wild rice). I will see if I can put my hands on my wild rice pilaf mix. It has lentils, wild rice, raisins, cinnamon, brown or white rice in it, I can't remember what all, it has been awhile since I made it. It is a mix that you can make (great hostess gift). But, the way we always made wild rice as a side was thus:
1. Rinse the wild rice in hot water (if you want to cut down the cooking time, soak for 30 minutes in hot water).
2. Bring a pot of water (or chicken or beef stock) to a boil (the ratio of water to rice is 3:1).
3. Add the rinsed rice to the boiling water, reduce the heat. After 20 minutes (brown rice or red rice), after 30 minutes (white rice) equalling 1/3 of the amount of wild rice. If you want to add celery, onions, or mushrooms, add when you add the other rice. I often toss in pearl barley and lentils.
4. Simmer the rice until the wild rice "pops" (splits). Depending on the grade of the wild rice and if it is cultivated or wild, it takes about 55-65 minutes. If it hasn't popped and almost all the water is absorbed, add more water. Leftover wild rice (something I rarely have), freezes well.
To me, wild rice is the taste of home. I stock up whenever I go to MN. I bring wild rice back for my friends. Last summer, I paid $2.29 / pound in August at the grocery store. And yes, my father still buys it in bulk, but the burlap bags are now 20# bags. And, you can buy precooked wild rice in #10 cans in the grocery stores where my parents are in Northern MN.
We use it for everything--pancakes, bread, stuffing, casseroles (ham, water chestnuts, broccoli and cream of mushroom soup or a homemade cream of mushroom sauce), salads (wild rice, green grapes, almonds, mayo) side dishes, and even for breakfast (wild rice, cinnamon, splash of maple syrup, and raisins--one of my favorites). I love wild rice. I love the smell of it cooking, the taste of it smothered with just butter, sea salt, and pepper, the texture, everything about wild rice. Along with Janssen's Temptation, it is definitely one of my all-time comfort foods. The only thing I don't like about wild rice is harvesting it, that is hard work (did that once--easier to buy it than harvest it and process it).
I'll look for the pilaf recipe today. Now I have to get back to work.
K.
