Having wild rice back in stock has been a real treat. I think the wild rice industry has promoted it as a special occasion grain but I think this is unfortunate. It’s great everyday and you can make it ahead and use it throughout the workweek.
I find it’s nice to chop up some aromatic vegetables and saute them in olive oil. Celery, carrot, onion, garlic or any combination works.
Once the vegetables are soft, add your wild rice and a bit of salt. I like to stir it well and make sure each grain is coated with the vegetable mixture but it probably doesn’t really make a difference.
Now add three parts water to your one part rice and bring to full boil. Once boiling, reduce your heat to low, cover and allow to cook for about an hour. The rice should have absorbed all the liquid and the grains should have split. Now you’re ready!
Some recipes call for chicken stock but I think this is a waste. The rice has a stong nutty flavor and the stock would be wasted, in my opinion!
I also love wild rice. To save time, I like to make mine in the pressure cooker where it only takes 25 minutes at pressure. My favorite holiday dish is Fruited Wild Rice http://bit.ly/aPRQYv although I also love a savory version with vegetables and mushrooms. Well, I like anything with mushrooms really but wild rice and wild mushrooms are a great match.
I encourage everyone to eat more wild rice as it’s an easy-to-digest gluten-free grain.