For the truly picky you should know that wild rice is not actually rice
or a cereal grain but rather the seed of a marsh growing plant. Native to
North America wild rice was harvested by the North American Indians and
was an important part of the earlier settler's
meals. The same elements that made it so good for the settlers then still
holds true today. Wild rice is rich in protein and contains magnesium,
potassium, phosphorus and zinc. Also, it is high in B complex vitamins.
Wild rice can be used in a multitude of dishes, from everyday cooking to
gourmet creations. Wild rice triples or more in size, so a little goes a
long way! It is a naturally healthy food high in fiber and there is only
half a gram of fat in 3/4 of a cup.
1 cup raw wild rice = 4 cups cooked wild rice
Cooked wild rice stays fresh in refrigerator up to 2 weeks. Wild rice can
be frozen after cooking for up to 6 months. Raw rice keeps indefinitely if
stored in a dry place.
Cooking Wild Rice Using the Stovetop Method
Wash 1 cup uncooked wild rice thoroughly. Add to 3 cups boiling water,
salted to taste, in a heavy saucepan. Return water to boil and stir.
Reduce heat and simmer, covered, 50-60 minutes or just until kernels puff
open. Uncover and fluff with table fork. Simmer five additional minutes.
Drain any excess liquid. For chewier texture cook less time. Yield: 3-4
cups of cooked wild rice. (For additional flavor, try cooking in beef or
chicken broth)
Cooking Wild Rice Using the Oven Method
Wash 1 cup uncooked wild rice thoroughly. Combine with 2 cups water in a
covered 2-quart casserole. Cover and bake at 350 for 1 hour. Check wild
rice. Ad more water, if needed, and fluff with a fork. Continue baking for
1/2 hour. wild rice should be moist, not dry. Yield: 3-4 cups cooked wild
rice. (For additional flavor, try cooking in beef or chicken broth)
Cooking Wild Rice Using the Microwave Method
Wash 1 cup uncooked wild rice thoroughly. Combine with 3 cups water in a
covered 2-quart glass casserole. Microwave on HIGH for 5 minutes.
Microwave on MEDIUM (50 percent power) for 30 minutes. Let stand 10-15
minutes, drain. Yield: 3-4 cups cooked wild rice. (For additional flavor,
try cooking in beef or chicken broth)
CHINESE CHICKEN AND WILD RICE SALAD (meat)
A Note about Cabbage
1. Detach the
loose leaves (“wrapper leaves”) and discard.
2. Core the cabbage and split the head in
half, allowing the leaves to be peeled away
more easily.
3. Peel the
three outermost layers (approximately six
leaves, not including wrapper leaves) off
the head.
4. Carefully check these six leaves. The
most practical way to check is to hold the
leaf above direct light. Because the leaf is
translucent and the bugs are not, the bugs
are accentuated and easily detected. Check
both sides of each leaf.
5. if no insects
are found on these six leaves, then they and
the remaining leaves of the head may be used
without further checking. It is recommended
that the remaining leaves be washed before
use.
6. If three or more insects are found on the
first six leaves, the remaining leaves must
be thoroughly washed and checked prior to
use.
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2/3 cup uncooked wild rice
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts (or 3/4 pound grilled
chicken breasts)
2 oranges
2 cups snow peas, stringed and blanched (see note)
1/2 cup slivered red bell pepper
1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves, coarsely chopped
* Lettuce or shredded Chinese cabbage
1/4 cup chopped cashews |
Dressing
1 clove garlic, minced
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons dark sesame oil
2 teaspoons sugar |
Rinse the wild rice thoroughly. Place it in a saucepan with 1-1/2 cups
boiling water. Bring the water back to a boil, cover and simmer 35 to 45
minutes, until rice is tender and water is absorbed.
Pan-broil chicken breasts over medium heat in nonstick skillet until
juices no longer run pink. Cool slightly and cut into thin slices. Or use
grilled chicken.
Remove peel and white membrane from oranges. Slice and cut into bite-sized
pieces. In a large bowl, combine wild rice, chicken, oranges, snow peas,
bell pepper and cilantro.
To Make Dressing: Whisk together garlic, soy sauce, oil and sugar. Pour
the dressing over the salad and toss lightly to combine. Serve on lettuce
or Chinese cabbage. Sprinkle with cashews.
Note: To blanch snow peas, place them in a large pot of boiling water for
30 seconds. Remove from heat and drain. Run cold running water over peas
to stop the cooking process. Serves 4.
BARLEY AND WILD RICE WITH POMEGRANATE (meat or pareve)
If you want to prepare this ahead of time, refrigerate the dish and don't
add the Pomegranate seeds, lemon zest, toasted pine nuts or parsley until
just before you are ready to reheat it.
A Note about
Parsley
1. Soak herbs in cold water.
2. Add several drops of concentrated non-scented liquid detergent or
vegetable wash.
3. Agitate the herbs in the soapy water, in order to loosen the
sticking excretion of the bugs.
4. Using a heavy stream of water, thoroughly wash off the soap and
other foreign matter from the herbs.
5. Check both sides of each leaf under direct light.
6. If one or two insects are found, rewash the herbs.
7. If any insects are found after repeating the agitation process
twice, the entire bunch must be discarded. |
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1/2 cup wild rice, rinsed
1/2 cup pearl barley
3 cups chicken or vegetable broth |
1/3 cup pine nuts
1 cup pomegranate seeds
2 teaspoons freshly grated lemon zest
2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
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Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and cook,
stirring often, until softened. Add wild rice and barley; stir for a few
seconds. Add broth and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to low, cover and
simmer until the wild rice and barley are tender and most of the liquid
has been absorbed, 45 to 50 minutes. Meanwhile, toast pine nuts in a
small, dry skillet over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until light
golden and fragrant, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to a small bowl to cool. Add
pomegranate seeds, lemon zest, parsley and toasted pine nuts to the pilaf;
fluff with a fork. Serve hot. Serves 4 to 5. If you are going to reheat
this dish add a little water first.
WILD RICE AND ACORN SQUASH (pareve)
A Note about Celery
1. Remove and discard all side leaves and branches.
2. Holding celery stalk firmly under a heavy stream of water, brush
down both the inside and outside of the celery stalk with your
finger or a vegetable brush.
3. If a worm is spotted in the celery stalk, slit open celery stalk,
remove worm and wash thoroughly.
A Note about
Fresh Herbs
Soak in cold water; add
several drops of concentrated non-scented liquid detergent or
vegetable wash; agitate herbs in the water, removing all foreign
matter and soap from leaf surface; alternatively, a vegetable brush
may be used on both sides of leaf.
Check each leaf on both sides over direct light. If one or two
insects are found, rewash the herbs.
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4 small acorn squash -- halved widthwise
1 1/2 cups wild rice
about 5 cups water
2 tablespoons white wine
1 cup chopped onion
3 stalks celery -- chopped |
1 tablespoon garlic -- minced
1 green bell pepper -- diced
1 red bell pepper -- diced
1 apple -- diced
1 cup corn kernels
1/4 cup chopped fresh herbs
ground black pepper |
Your choice of thyme, basil, oregano, parsley, or chives.
Preheat oven to 350. Cut a 1/4-inch slice off ends of squash halves to
prevent wobbling. Remove seeds. Bake, open side down, on a lightly
sprayed baking sheet until soft (approx. 40 min.). Cool.
Rinse the rice. Place the rice in a medium pot with water to cover by 4
inches. Bring the water to a boil, reduce heat and simmer, uncovered,
until tender (1 hour). Add water as needed to keep rice from drying. Drain
well.
Preheat oven to 400. Heat the white wine in a large non-stick skillet.
Add the onions, celery, garlic and peppers and cook over medium heat until browned ( approx. 5 min.). Stir in
the apple and corn and cook for about 3 minutes. Add the rice and herbs to
the apples mixture and cook for 1 min. Stir in ground pepper to taste.
Spoon rice mixture into a shallow baking dish and nestle squash halves
into it, filling each with some rice mixture. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes to
warm throughout. Serves 4. This can be made a head of time and reheated
just before serving.
GRILLED CHICKEN WITH WILD RICE, CORN AND MUSHROOM PILAF (meat)
A Note about
Parsley
1. Soak herbs in cold water.
2. Add several drops of concentrated non-scented liquid detergent or
vegetable wash.
3. Agitate the herbs in the soapy water, in order to loosen the
sticking excretion of the bugs.
4. Using a heavy stream of water, thoroughly wash off the soap and
other foreign matter from the herbs.
5. Check both sides of each leaf under direct light.
6. If one or two insects are found, rewash the herbs.
7. If any insects are found after repeating the agitation process
twice, the entire bunch must be discarded.
Please note: Curly leaf parsley is very difficult to check. It is
therefore recommended that only flat leaf parsley be used.
Please note: To prepare herbs for use in soups, such as dill or
parsley, wash them thoroughly and place them in a cooking bag. |
12 ea, Chicken Breasts
1-1/2 cup Dijon Marinade (recipe below)
1 lb. Hand Harvested Wild Rice
3 cup fresh or frozen corn
3 roasted red bell peppers, seeded and diced
3 tablespoons olive oil
3 cup sliced mushrooms
1 cup sweet onion, diced
1-1/2 cup toasted pine nuts
1 cup Parsley, chopped
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Dijon Marinade:
1/2 cup Dijon Mustard
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup red wine vinegar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 tablespoon Dried Tarragon
1/4 cup parsley, fresh chopped
1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt
1 cup olive oil |
For Dijon Marinade: Combine all ingredients except olive oil in a
medium mixing bowl and mix well. Slowly drizzle in olive oil while
continuously whisking.
Coat chicken with marinade for up to 4 hours.
For Chicken: Marinate chicken breasts for up to 4 hours, turning once.
Cook the wild rice in chicken stock and then let it cool. Heat grill while
boiling corn until almost tender. Cut bell peppers in half, remove seeds
and stem. Coat with olive oil, season with salt and pepper. Grill corn and
bell peppers until tender, and then cool to room temperature. Remove the
corn from cob and dice bell peppers and place them in a bowl. In a skillet
heat the olive oil and sauté the onions, mushrooms and garlic until onions
are translucent. Stir the vegetables into the wild rice. Using a grill pan
or gas grill, cook the chicken breasts until tender but not over done When
the chicken is done serve it on top of the wild rice. . Serves 12 This
recipe can be made ahead of time and reheated.
Eileen Goltz, a
professional chef and caterer, is the author of the new cookbook,
Perfectly Pareve.
© Eileen Goltz 2004
