ISO wild rice for 150?

[CharlieD]

First of all I would like again to thank everybody who helped me decide on appetizers for the event.
Now I have a question about wild rice. I have to say not only I have never cooked it I also hate the stuff. It is one of most disgusting things I have ever tasted. Now imagine that, I have to cook it for 150 people. The recipe I am looking for hast to be vegetarian, but evn more important very easy to make. As you can imagine cooking for 150 people is not going to be easy. I will prepare some things ahead of time. But I do not think wild rice should one of them. Of course I do not really know. Please help me.
Really appreciate and thank you in advance.

 

[Alix]

Are you talking a wild rice blend or straight wild rice? It takes a long time to cook properly so you might be better off parcooking it at least and then finishing it on the day of your event.

 

[jennyema]

Real wild rice for 150 sounds $$$$$$$

Making rice for 150 is tricky, for sure. Plus like Alix said it takes a lot longer than actual rice.

How do you plan to cook it?

 

[CharlieD]

That is exactly why i am asking you. I have not a slitest clue.

You tell me what to do and I will do it. Somebody else mention to me that I should mix regular rice and wild together. If you think I should pre-cook it, so it will be. I can warm it up then.

 

[Rocklobster]

He Charlie. Don't panic. I can help you. I would go with a blend. Wild rice is expensive so find out how much of it people are really expecting and use as little as you have to. There are also other rice blends out there that may work also. Another thing is some rices take longer to cook than others, so you may have to cook them separately and mix them up later. You can cook it up in large pans in the oven. Pretty basic really. Just add your ingredients, cover with about twice as much water as rice, use a seasoning like powdered soup base, cover with tin foil and bake anywhwere from 45 to 60 minutes at 350 or so. Here is a cool site you can check out that will give you an idea of the amounts of ingredients you will need. Check out the recipes. There are a few rice dish recipes under sides and mains. Growlies BIG recipes Index recipes to serve 100 people or more

Give me a bit more info on the who, what, when,where. Then we can go from there.

 

[Alix]

Charlie, are you going to buy plain wild rice? If you are doing that, I suggest you simmer it in broth for about 45 minutes then reheat in a chafing dish before serving. I go 1 cup rice to 3 cups broth. If you're going to mix it with regular rice, cook the rice separately then stir together in the chafing dish before serving. Make sure you use some butter in there to smooth everything out.

 

[CWS4322]

The key is you want to rinse it well in warm water. I'd go with natural that was hand parched. It will take less time to cook than wild rice that was machine parched or cultivated. And, I'd stay away from cultivated if this if for native Minnesotans <g>. I posted a wild rice pilaf recipe last year. It would be an awesome dish rather than plain wild rice. You can make the pilaf ahead and then reheat as Alix suggested. I usually add more water and butter when reheating.

Sometimes it needs more than 1:3, sometimes it takes 65 minutes before it "pops" and turns itself inside out. Cultivated doesn't do that. I assume you know of a wholesaler who will supply the amount of natural wild rice needed.

 

[Alix]

CWS, do you think he should do it for that long if he is reheating? I was thinking he might want to go with a shorter initial cook time as the rice will absorb a bit more during the reheating portion of things. No?

 

[Rocklobster]

Here are two recipes for 100. Just multiply everything by 1.50. rice pilaf, make ahead rice pilaf, freeze rice

I would go ahead and make the recipe for 100 using white rice, then make a second recipe using wild rice and cook longer. Then using a large bus bin, blend the two before serving on plates. That's just me, though.

The idea is to keep it simple, because it sounds like you have a bunch of other stuff to do at the same time....

 

[jennyema]

Wild rice can be tricky. Plus its not actually rice.

Seems like a pain to cook real rice separately and add in, but the cooking times would be quite different.

I think the oven would be the way to go because of the quantity involved.

 

[CWS4322]

Alix--it depends on the type of WR he is using. IF he's using a blend with cultivated, the cultivated will never pop. If he's using hand-parched, it takes the same time as white rice. If he's using machine parched, then the time can be anywhere from 50-65 minutes. I like mine so most of the is WR popped, even if reheating. And, I reheat in the microwave with a bit of butter and water, covered. Charlie since you don't like WR or cook it often, maybe you should "test cook" a cup and then make adjustments. Of course, they also sell #10 cans of pre-cooked WR in MN...

 

[Rocklobster]

Wild rice can be tricky. Plus its not actually rice.

Seems like a pain to cook real rice separately and add in, but the cooking times would be quite different.

That's why I would cook two separate batches, then blend when both done. You will probably need two pans anyway. So, just leave one in longer. The white rice will come out earlier and stay plenty warm until the wild rice is ready.

 

[CWS4322]

At $10/lb retail, it runs $1.00/serving if one calculates 10 servings/lb (I've seen it advertised wholesale in MN for about 30% less than that). The beauty of it is that it is gluten free, and I'd definitely try to keep it gluten free as a side. If one cuts it 3:1 with brown rice (which takes about the same time as wr to cook), the cost is under $1.00. Native Minnesotans are very fond of their wild rice and nothing says "special" quite like wild rice instead of a white rice dish.

 

[Kayelle]

The key is you want to rinse it well in warm water. I'd go with natural that was hand parched. It will take less time to cook than wild rice that was machine parched or cultivated. And, I'd stay away from cultivated if this if for native Minnesotans <g>. I posted a wild rice pilaf recipe last year. It would be an awesome dish rather than plain wild rice. You can make the pilaf ahead and then reheat as Alix suggested. I usually add more water and butter when reheating.

Sometimes it needs more than 1:3, sometimes it takes 65 minutes before it "pops" and turns itself inside out. Cultivated doesn't do that. I assume you know of a wholesaler who will supply the amount of natural wild rice needed.

Can you post a link to the recipe CWS? I can't seem to find it.

 

[CharlieD]

It seems the good start would be to go to the supplier and see what kind of WR they have. I do think I have mix regular rice and WR, as that is what I have seen in reataurants before. So that was in the plan to begin with. I like the oven idea, becasue I will have a comercial convection oven available.
Ok. I like the sugestions so far, and it doesn't seem to complicated. i will repeort back after visiting the store to see what they have.
Thank you everybody.

 

[Whiskadoodle]

I Love a Search Engine that Works !!! I typed in "wild rice pilaf" and it brought up CWS's WR that she says she posted last year. Voila'

I am bringing a wild rice dish for family Christmas dinner. I am thinking it will be a wild rice salad and do plan to cook the wild rice the day before. I haven't done this before, but I expect to add some of the dressing or just olive oil to keep it from clumping/ sticking together. I hope this will work. I don't know.

I think wild rice doesn't stick in the same way white rice does, since it doesn't have the same properties.

 

[CharlieD]

I actually did search here before I posted. But cooking 150, I just really need something simple.

 

[Zhizara]

That is exactly why i am asking you. I have not a slitest clue.

You tell me what to do and I will do it. Somebody else mention to me that I should mix regular rice and wild together. If you think I should pre-cook it, so it will be. I can warm it up then.

No, no, no!, Charlie. If you have to cook for 150 (!) people, don't make something you've never made before. Wild rice is expensive and not like regular rice to cook. Unless you already know how to handle it, don't do it. Try to stick to tried & true.

Is there a theme here? Are you cooking a whole dinner, or just parts? Enlighten us so we can help you.{{{{{XOXO}}}}}}

 

[Dawgluver]

No, no, no!, Charlie. If you have to cook for 150 (!) people, don't make something you've never made before. Wild rice is expensive and not like regular rice to cook. Unless you already know how to handle it, don't do it. Try to stick to tried & true.

Is there a theme here? Are you cooking a whole dinner, or just parts? Enlighten us so we can help you.{{{{{XOXO}}}}}}

+1! I agree, cooking something you dislike, and have never made before, equals disaster, Charlie!

 

[Rocklobster]

I actually did search here before I posted. But cooking 150, I just really need something simple.

I don't think it is going to get much simpler than that pilaf recipe I gave you. I would go a few days early and check out the equipment you are going to be working with and write down a schedule of tasks and what order you are going to be doing them in. Have a look at work surfaces you can use to place things on and hold until you need them etc. You should really plan the logistics out also. Will save you time and make things flow easier......