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Thanksgiving: Wild Rice Pilaf with Pecans and Cranberries

Source of Recipe

From "Cook's Illustrated All Time Best Holiday Entertaining"


Recipe Introduction

"Properly cooked wild rice is chewy yet tender, and pleasingly rustic—not disappointingly crunchy or gluey. We wanted to turn out fluffy pilaf-style grains loaded with festive mix-ins. After a few trials, we found that simmering the rice in plenty of liquid and then draining it was the most reliable cooking method. A combination of water and chicken broth infused with thyme and bay leaves produced rice with nuanced savory flavor. We prepared a batch of white rice (boosted with sautéed chopped onion and carrot and studded with plumped dried cranberries) to stir in with the wild rice as a means of balancing out the latter's earthy qualities. For even more variation in this otherwise simple side, we stirred in nutty toasted pecans and minced parsley for instant freshness."

List of Ingredients

â—¦ 1 ¾ cups chicken broth
â—¦ 2 ½ cups water
â—¦ 2 bay leaves
â—¦ 8 sprigs fresh thyme, divided into 2 bundles, each tied together with kitchen twine
â—¦ 1 cup wild rice, picked over and rinsed
â—¦ 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
â—¦ 1 onion, chopped fine
â—¦ 1 large carrot, peeled and chopped fine
â—¦ Salt and pepper
â—¦ 1 ½ cups long-grain white rice, rinsed
â—¦ ¾ cup dried cranberries
â—¦ ¾ cup pecans, toasted and chopped coarse
â—¦ 1 ½ tablespoons minced fresh parsley


Recipe

Bring broth, ¼ cup water, bay leaves, and one bundle thyme to boil in medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add wild rice, cover, and reduce heat to low; simmer until rice is plump and tender and has absorbed most of liquid, 35 to 45 minutes. Drain rice in fine-mesh strainer to remove excess liquid. Remove bay leaves and thyme. Return rice to now-empty saucepan, cover, and set aside.

Meanwhile, melt butter in medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onion, carrot, and 1 teaspoon salt and cook, stirring frequently, until vegetables are softened but not browned, about 4 minutes. Add white rice and stir to coat grains with butter; cook, stirring frequently, until grains begin to turn translucent, about 3 minutes. Meanwhile, bring remaining 2 ¼ cups water to boil in small saucepan or in microwave. Add boiling water and second thyme bundle to rice and return to boil. Reduce heat to low, sprinkle cranberries evenly over rice, and cover. Simmer until all liquid is absorbed, 16 to 18 minutes. Off heat, remove thyme and fluff rice with fork.

Combine wild rice, white rice mixture, pecans, and parsley in large bowl and toss with rubber spatula. Season with salt and pepper to taste; serve immediately.

Serves 6 to 8



• To make ahead:
Following step 2, wild rice and white rice mixture can be combined in large bowl and refrigerated for up to 3 days. To serve, cover bowl and microwave until hot, 3 to 5 minutes, fluffing with fork halfway through microwaving. Proceed with step 3 with addition of pecans and parsley.