Nautico's Minnesota Wild Rice

6 Servings
Rice American
Vegetarian Saute Side Dish Rice American

1 cup d rice
4 cups Water
3 cubes Chicken illon
1 package Baby bella hrooms
1 jar e nuts
2 tablespoon ter

I can't remember ever having properly prepared wild rice in a restaurant or home outside the state of Minnesota. No doubt this is for two reasons. First, the wild rice one finds elsewhere is usually some variant of brown rice mislabled as "wild." Secondly, since the real McCoy is rarely available outside MN, unless ordered by mail, cooks elsewhere who do acquire it on that rare occasion haven't had the benefit of the trial and error that produces a perfect result. I am now going to tell you how to achieve that result! If you live outside the upper midwest, you're probably going to have to order the rice by mail. You can Google "wild rice" and find several sources, but here's one I like: http://www.kcsbestwildrice.com I would opt for the premium grade ($10/lb), as opposed to the standard grade ($8/lb). 1) Put 1 cup of the rice* in a large fine mesh strainer, running it under cold water for about a minute. Then place the washed rice in a pot with 4 cups of cold or room temp water. Add the bouillon cubes and bring to a boil, stirring to disperse the bouillon as the cubes dissolve. 2) Turn the burner down to one setting above Low, cover and simmer for 45 minutes. Taste for texture. If it's too firm for you, continue simmering, but no longer than a total of 55 minutes or the rice will be mushy. Preheat warming oven to 250 degrees. 3) Strain the rice, place in a covered casserole dish and in the oven as you prepare the mushrooms. 4) Saute the mushrooms in butter. When done to your liking, add them to the rice. 5) Just before serving, stir in the little jar of pine nuts. The rice, mushrooms, and pine nuts make for an appetizing combination of textures. * Wild rice is actually not rice, but a unique grain.


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Cakes: Blackberry Wine Cake I

When you are baking this cake, your house will smell so good!

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Steak with wild mushroom sauce

4 Servings
steak
american
creamy steak mushroom wild mushroom sauce main dish american

4 strip aks (Learn more about buying steaks here)
2 tablespoons llots
2 oz. ter (1/2 stick)
1 pound assorted wild hrooms (portabello,morel,shitake, cremini...whatever is available)
1/2 cup Wine
3 oz Demi-Glace Gold*
1 cup Hot Water
1 Salt and per to taste
1 *If you can't find Demi-Glace Gold you can substitute 1 cup of homemade demi-glace or 2 cups of ve

PREP WORK Get your grill really hot. While that is happening, finely chop your shallots and slice your mushrooms. Have your red wine and demi glace or substitute ready to go Prepare Steaks: Preheat your grill until it’s really hot. Season the steaks with a little salt and pepper. The meat should be cooked approximately 3-4 minutes per side depending how you like your steaks. When done, slice the steaks into 1/4 inch strips, fan out on a warm plate and add your wild mushroom sauce. Prepare Wild Mushroom Sauce: Demi-Glace Gold comes with easy instructions, but here’s how I make it. Melt butter in a sauce pan and sauté shallots until transparent, approximately 2-3 minutes. Add red wine, preferably something you may be sipping while you are preparing this meal. Don’t use plain old cooking wine, big mistake. Add mushrooms and cook until tender and wine has reduced to an essence. Add Demi-Glace Gold and stir (with a whisk if you have one) until dissolved. Add hot water and simmer until the sauce has thickened, approximately 8-10 minutes. Salt and pepper to taste and serve over the steaks (and mashed potatoes).


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