(Adapted from the Barefoot Contessa)
This is a lovely, delicious recipe to use for the holidays. We served it at my VIP Holiday party and it was so yummy!
- 1 cup wild rice
- 1-1/4 cups chicken stock, preferably homemade
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- Sea salt
- 1 cup dried orange cranberries
- 1/2 cup scallions, sliced in rounds, white and green parts (2 scallions)
- 1 cup pecan halves, toasted and coarsely chopped (let pecans cool completely before chopping)
- 1 teaspoon grated orange zest
- 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed orange juice
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Place the rice, chicken stock, 1-1/4 cups of water, 1 tablespoon of the butter, and 1 teaspoon salt in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat. Cover the pot and lower the heat to simmer (I pull the pan halfway off the burner) and cook for about 1 hour, until the rice is tender and the grains begin to burst open. Stir the rice occasionally while it is cooking, scraping the bottom of the pan to prevent it from sticking. Turn off the heat and allow the rice to steam for about 5 minutes.
Stir remaining tablespoon of butter into the rice, then add the dried orange cranberries, scallions, pecans, orange zest, orange juice, 1 teaspoon of salt, and the pepper and toss well. Taste for seasonings and serve hot.
