Wild Rice And Berries With Popped Rice Recipes

WILD RICE AND BERRIES WITH POPPED RICE

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 350 degrees.
• In a large saucepan, bring 5 cups water to a boil over high. Stir in 1 cup wild rice along with the dried berries and maple syrup. Once the mixture comes back to a boil, reduce the heat so the liquid is just simmering, cover and cook until the grains begin to open, 20 to 40 minutes, checking doneness after about 20 minutes. (The rice is done when it has opened slightly, is tender and has quadrupled in size.)
• Drain the excess liquid from the rice. (The cloudy cooking liquid tastes sweet and nutty and can be sipped on its own, reserved for use in the roast turkey with berry-mint sauce and black walnuts, or used as a stock substitute.)
• Meanwhile, toast the hazelnuts: Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Arrange the hazelnuts in a single layer on a baking sheet and toast them until the skin blisters and cracks, and they begin to smell nutty, 10 to 12 minutes. Transfer the nuts to a clean dish towel and massage them aggressively to remove most of the skins. Crush the nuts directly in the towel using the flat side of a knife or the bottom of a small, heavy frying pan.
• Add the remaining 1/4 cup rice to a dry medium skillet and cook the rice over high heat, shaking the pan, until it begins to darken and about half of the kernels have popped, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from the heat.
• Drizzle the boiled rice with the hazelnut oil and season to taste with salt. Divide among bowls and garnish with the popped rice, hazelnuts and chives.

WILD RICE WITH CHERRIES

Steps:

• In a large saucepan, add the stock, wild rice and salt and pepper, to taste. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce the heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the rice is tender and is beginning to split, about 30 to 40 minutes. Drain of any excess liquid and fold in the cherries, nuts and parsley. Taste for seasoning and adjust if necessary. Transfer the rice to a serving bowl and serve.

CHERRY WILD RICE

Steps:

• Bring 2 cups water and wild rice to a boil in a saucepan. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until rice is tender, 30 to 45 minutes. Drain excess liquid, fluff rice with a fork, and cook uncovered, about 5 minutes more.
• Bring 1/2 water and brown rice to a boil in a saucepan. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until rice is tender and liquid has been absorbed, about 45 minutes.
• Combine cherries, brown sugar, and almonds in a large nonstick skillet; cook and stir over medium heat until brown sugar melts and coats cherries and almonds, about 6 minutes. Stir in brown rice, wild rice, celery, orange juice, red wine vinegar, and orange zest. Cook, stirring frequently, until heated through, about 5 minutes.

BLUEBERRY WILD RICE

Steps:

• Combine all ingredients in a saucepan and cook 30 minutes or until rice is tender. Serve hot, as a side dish, or serve cool for dessert topped with whipped cream.

PORCINI CHICKEN WITH WILD RICE AND WHEAT BERRIES

Steps:

• Cook rice:
• Bring 4 cups water to a boil in a 2-quart heavy saucepan, then add rice and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Reduce heat to low and simmer, covered, until rice is tender and grains are split open, 1 to 1 1/4 hours (not all liquid will be absorbed). Drain in a colander.
• Cook wheat berries while rice simmers:
• Bring remaining 4 cups water to a boil in a 3-quart heavy saucepan, then stir in wheat berries and 1 1/4 cups porcini. Reduce heat and simmer, partially covered, over low heat until wheat berries are tender, 1 to 1 1/4 hours. Stir in 1/2 teaspoon salt and pour wheat berry mixture into a large sieve set over another saucepan or a skillet. Reserve wheat berries and porcini in a bowl and boil cooking liquid until reduced to about 1 cup, then add to wheat berry mixture. (Cut up any porcini that are large.)
• Cook chicken:
• Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 450°F.
• Grind remaining 3/4 cup porcini to a powder in coffee/spice grinder. (If porcini are too moist to grind, dry completely on a baking sheet in oven 3 to 5 minutes, then cool before grinding.)
• Pat chicken dry, then arrange in 1 layer on a sheet of wax paper. Sprinkle both sides of chicken with remaining 3/4 teaspoon salt and season with pepper. Put porcini powder in a fine mesh sieve and dust both sides of chicken generously, shaking off excess.
• Heat oil and 1/2 tablespoon butter in a 12-inch heavy skillet over moderately high heat until foam subsides, then brown chicken in 2 batches, without crowding, turning over once, about 4 minutes per batch. Transfer chicken to a shallow baking dish as browned (reserve fat in skillet). Bake browned chicken until just cooked through, 3 to 5 minutes, then let stand 5 minutes before slicing.
• While chicken bakes and stands, add remaining 1/2 tablespoon butter to fat in skillet and cook garlic over moderately low heat, stirring, 1 minute. Add wine and boil over high heat, stirring and scraping up brown bits, until reduced by half, about 3 minutes. Add wild rice, tomatoes, and wheat berry mixture (including reduced cooking liquid) and bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. Stir in dill and season with salt and pepper. Slice chicken and serve with rice mixture.
• *Available at natural foods store and specialty markets.