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Festive wild rice

Did you know that wild rice isn’t really rice? It’s a grain with lots of fiber, vitamins and minerals. It grows wild in the Great Lakes area and is grown commercially in the Midwest.

Ingredients

1 cup dried shiitake mushrooms (or dried porcini mushrooms)
1 cup wild rice
½ cup freshly squeezed orange juice
¼ cup dry sherry
½ cup sliced carrots
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
dash of salt to taste

* Optional: finely chopped walnuts, pecans or filberts to taste

Directions

1. Soak the dried mushrooms in water to cover until they are soft. Squeeze them out, reserving liquid, and slice.
2. Wash the wild rice in cold water and place in pot with the mushroom-soaking liquid (minus any sediment) and enough additional cold water to total 2 cups.
3. Add the orange juice, sherry and carrots. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer for 30 minutes.
4. Add mushrooms and continue cooking until rice is tender and all the liquid is absorbed.
5. Add the chopped parsley and salt rice to taste.


6. * Optional: Stir in the finely chopped nuts (black walnuts, pecans or filberts).

*To stretch this dish further, try mixing in some brown rice.

* Option not included in nutrition facts