Winter Side Dish — Wild Rice, Brussels Sprouts, Pomegranate, and Pistachios

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 375º
2. Add broth or water and wild rice to a pot and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 45 minutes. Take off heat for 10 minutes (still covered). Fluff with a fork.
3. Cut brussels sprouts in half, or smaller if some are very large. The pieces should be similar in size to prevent burning the small ones. Line a baking sheet with foil and place brussels sprouts on foil. Drizzle with olive oil, season with salt and pepper, and push around sprouts to make sure the olive oil is evenly distributed. I recommend placing brussels cut side down. This helps develop that crunchy outside and soft inside. Roast in oven for 15-20 minutes, until brussels are somewhere between golden brown and charred (whatever your preference).
4. While the sprouts cook, de-seed your pomegranate. Fill a medium bowl with cold water (this allows the pith to float to the top while the seeds stay at the bottom). Cut pomegranate in half and whack the back of it with a wooden spoon over the bowl. The seeds should start popping out into the water. You may need to stretch the peel and remove parts of the thin white skin to expose more seeds, and then continue hitting the back of the pomegranate with the spoon until all the seeds fall out. Remove the white pith and strain out the seeds.
5. Combine rice, brussels sprouts, pistachios, and pomegranate seeds.