Wild Rice Stuffing With Pine Nuts Recipes

HOLIDAY STUFFING WITH MUSHROOMS, PINE NUTS, SAUSAGE, WILD RICE

Steps:

• Slice French bread and cut into 1 inch cubes. Spread onto cookie sheet, cover with a flour-sack dish towel, and allow to dry out for 24 hours.
• Bring 2 cups of chicken broth to a boil in a small saucepan over med-high heat. Add box of wild rice. Cover tightly, reduce heat to medium, and simmer 50-60 minutes. Don't worry if all the broth didn't absorb. Set rice aside. (This step can be done a day ahead and refrigerated until needed.).
• Place pine nuts in a small, non-stick, saute pan over medium heat. Toast until they are fragrant and start to brown. (Watch them carefully, tossing occasionally, as they can burn easily.) Set aside.
• Brown and crumble sausage in a frying pan over med-high heat. Pour onto a platter lined with paper towels to absorb excess grease. Set aside.
• In a large skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Add mushrooms, onions, and celery and saute for 5-7 minutes. Remove from heat and add basil, thyme, rosemary and parsley. Set aside.
• To assemble, in a large slow cooker, toss together French bread cubes, corn bread cubes, browned sausage, sauteed vegetables and herbs, pine nuts, and wild rice. Add port wine. With the remaining 2 cups of chicken broth, add just enough to the stuffing mixture to make it the moistness of your liking. (You shouldn't add it all if you like it drier.) Place lid on slow cooker and cook stuffing on low for 3 hours. If you desire a crunchier consistency, you can spread the stuffing out in a roasting pan and place in a 350 oven for about 20 minutes, right before serving.
• (Note: I really don't know exactly how many servings this makes, as serving sizes vary, but it always feeds about 10-12 at our holiday table, with leftovers, too.).

CORNBREAD AND WILD RICE DRESSING WITH PINE NUTS AND PARSLEY

Steps:

• For the cornbread: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Mix the cornmeal mix, buttermilk (a little at a time), flour, egg and baking soda in a bowl. Heat a cast-iron skillet, add the bacon grease and once the grease is hot, transfer 2 tablespoons of the grease from the skillet to the cornbread mixture. Mix the grease into the cornbread mixture and pour the cornbread mixture into the sizzling hot skillet. Bake until you can't see a finger print in the top of the bread when you lightly press it, about 20 minutes. Cool, cube into 8 cups, and toast.
• For the dressing: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. To cook the rice, combine 2 cups of the stock, 2 cups water and rice in a medium saucepan. Bring the mixture to a simmer, cover and cook until the rice is tender, about 1 hour. Drain the rice and transfer to a large bowl.
• Meanwhile, melt the butter and let brown slightly in a large pan. Add the corn, onions, celery, red peppers, garlic and a pinch salt and sweat the vegetables until tender. Add the ham and pine nuts and cook over low heat, about 2 minutes. Set aside to slightly cool.
• Whisk together the remaining 3 cups stock, cream, parsley and eggs and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Combine the rice, vegetable/ham mixture, stock/cream mixture and Sherla's Cornbread in a 4-quart lasagna pan and cook, covered, about 30 minutes. Uncover the pan and cook until crusty, about 20 minutes.