A delicious side dish for a Thanksgiving feast, this recipe features Oregon-grown wild rice, mushrooms, hazelnuts and cranberries. Perfect for gluten-free and vegetarian diets, you can make it vegan by simply omitting the cheese and using more olive oil in place of the butter. It’s a beautiful dish that can easily be made ahead and reheated when ready to serve.
Serves: 8
Difficulty: medium
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 1 hour
Ingredients
2 T butter
2 T olive oil
2 med shallots, chopped
2 c butternut squash, diced
¼ t ea salt and pepper
1 garlic clove, minced
2 c Oregon Wild Rice
½ c dry white wine, like Oregon Pinot Gris
4 c vegetable broth
½ lb mixed mushrooms (chanterelle, shiitake, crimini)
1 T ea fresh sage and thyme, chopped
¼ c (half bunch) fresh parsley, chopped
½ c toasted hazelnuts
2 c dried cranberries
2 c arugula (optional)
¼ c queso fresco or other salty cheese (optional)
Steps
In a large pot equipped with a tight-fitting lid, melt butter with oil over med heat. Add shallots and squash with salt and pepper. Cook 4 min. Add garlic and cook 1 min more. Add rice, stirring to combine, then wine and cook 1 min more. Add broth, bring to a simmer, reduce heat to low and cover pot, cooking 45 min. Meanwhile, briefly sauté mushrooms in olive oil with a pinch of salt and pepper, approx. 2 min, then add to pot with herbs, nuts and cranberries. Cover and continue cooking until rice is al dente and just beginning to burst, approx. 10 min more. Taste and adjust seasonings. Serve over arugula, topped with crumbled cheese, if desired.
