Wild Rice with Cherries

By QueenOfGreen • November 23, 2009 • 2 Comments

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Author Notes: How I make this depends entirely on what KIND of wild rice I can get: the cultivated "wild" rice from the grocery store (on the right in the above photo), or the truly wild stuff that a friend sends me from Nebraska (on the left in the above photo). The store-bought stuff has a different texture - more twiggy and stick-like even when cooked. The Nebraska rice seems to cook up a little softer. Therefore, if I've got the real stuff from Nebraska, I'll make it with just wild rice, but if I have to use cultivated "wild" rice, I mix with regular long grain white rice, although I end up having to pre-cook them separately. - QueenOfGreen

Serves 4 to 6

2 cups vegetable (or chicken) broth
1 1/2 cup wild rice, uncooked
3 tablespoons butter
1 small yellow onion, chopped
6 ounces button mushrooms, quartered
3 sprigs marjoram
1 teaspoon salt
1 bay leaf
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 sprig thyme
1/2 cup dried cherries

Bring broth to boil in medium saucepan. Add rice, salt and bay leaf. Simmer until liquid is absorbed. Discard bay leaf.
Melt butter in large skillet over medium heat. Saute onions, garlic and the stripped leaves of herbs (stems discarded) until onions are soft.
Add mushrooms and cherries. Saute until tender, 5 minutes or so.
Add pre-cooked rice. Cook until all liquids are absorbed, but not so long that mixture is dry.