1870 Banana Courtyard French Quarter

Aunt Chloe's Wild Rice: Side Dish

Servings: 6

Ingredients:

• 

  1 cup wild rice

• 

  2 1/2 tablespoons butter

• 

  2 medium onions

• 

  2 clove garlic

• 

  1 1/2 cups mushrooms, sliced

• 

  1 teaspoon red pepper

• 

  1 cup red wine

• 

  1/2 cup orange juice

• 

  2 cups toasted almonds or pecans

• 

  1 cup dried cherries

• 

  (Thanksgiving or Christmas..whole cranberries instead of cherries)

• 

  2 cans chicken stock

Step 1:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Lightly grease deep (2 quart) Pyrex baking dish. In bowl, add wine, orange juice, chicken stock and rice. Let soak. Melt 2-3 Tablespoons butter. Slowly sauté the following ingredients until onions are translucent: onions/leeks, garlic, mushrooms; red pepper. Add toasted almonds. Combine sautéed ingredients with wild rice mixture and add cherries. Pour all ingredients into a large baking dish. Bake covered in oven at 375 degrees for 1 ½ hours. Check rice to see if it¿s fully cooked (kernel is split and slightly puffed). If not, add ½ cup water, cover and cook ½ hour more.