Wild About Rice

As you may know, I have an unrequited love for carbohydrates (I mean, if they loved me back, I could eat them without recourse, right?). Pasta, potatoes, bread and rice are must-haves in the pantry.

The good news in all my carbohydrate cravings is that I really like whole grains. I love the nutty, chewiness of brown rice and the texture of a multi-grain bread. And I LOVE wild rice. I've enjoyed it since my young carbo-lovin' days, when Mama B would glam it up with some sauteed onions, garlic, mushrooms, & white wine.

So, since she sent us a bag of it in our Easter package (the exact same kind we used to have growing up from Byerly's in Minnesota), I recreated her version.

Mama B's Wild Rice
2 c wild rice
1 TB olive oil
1 TB butter
1 small onion, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
8 oz mushrooms, sliced (I like cremini/baby portabellas)
1/2 c white wine (I used a Chardonnay)
1/4 c chopped parsley

Cook the rice according to the package (we use chicken broth instead of water to add even more flavor). Drain the rice, and set aside in a bowl (it takes a really long time to cook--like an hour--so start ahead of time).

Meanwhile, saute the onions, garlic, and mushrooms with the olive oil and butter over medium heat.
When the mushrooms are starting to get soft, add wine and let it reduce and soak into the mushrooms. Turn off the heat and stir in the chopped parsley then add the mixture to the rice.

The hubs had never tried it before, and enjoyed it nearly as much as I did. The chewy texture of the rice, the carmelized onions, the sweetness of the wine...just like Mom used to make. Wildly delicious.

Happy Searching!