What I made for Turkey Day
I took this almost directly from Food Network - some minor modifications to suit our crowd. The thing was a HUGE hit - so here's the recipe for anyone interested.
2 cups wild rice
6 cups water
12oz Jimmy Dean sausage (regular) cooked and drained
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus extra for greasing the dish
1 cup diced onion
1 cup mushrooms diced small
1/2 cup diced carrots
1/2 cup diced celery
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 tablespoons fresh thyme, chopped
1 (day-old) loaf country-style bread, cubed
2 to 4 cups homemade chicken stock
12 ounces goat cheese
1/2 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped
Freshly ground black pepper
Kosher salt
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
Combine the rice, water and 1 tablespoon of salt in a large saucepan, bring to a boil over high heat and cook until the grains open all the way, about 1 hour, 15 minutes to 1 hour, 30 minutes. The rice should be very cooked (not even the slightest chewy). Drain well, place in a large bowl and set aside.
While the rice is cooking, put the goat cheese in the freezer for 30 minutes. Then chop into cubes - roughly 3/4 of an inch.
Heat the butter in a large high-sided saute pan over medium-high heat. Add the onions, carrots and celery and cook until soft. Add the mushrooms and cook till they turn color. Add the garlic and thyme and cook for 1 minute. Add the onion mixture, sausage, bread, goat cheese, parsley, and 2 cups of the chicken stock to the rice. Mix to combine. The mixture should be quite wet; add more stock, if needed. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Transfer the mixture to a large buttered baking dish and bake, uncovered, until heated through and golden brown, about 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and let rest 10 minutes before serving.
2 cups wild rice
6 cups water
12oz Jimmy Dean sausage (regular) cooked and drained
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus extra for greasing the dish
1 cup diced onion
1 cup mushrooms diced small
1/2 cup diced carrots
1/2 cup diced celery
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 tablespoons fresh thyme, chopped
1 (day-old) loaf country-style bread, cubed
2 to 4 cups homemade chicken stock
12 ounces goat cheese
1/2 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped
Freshly ground black pepper
Kosher salt
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
Combine the rice, water and 1 tablespoon of salt in a large saucepan, bring to a boil over high heat and cook until the grains open all the way, about 1 hour, 15 minutes to 1 hour, 30 minutes. The rice should be very cooked (not even the slightest chewy). Drain well, place in a large bowl and set aside.
While the rice is cooking, put the goat cheese in the freezer for 30 minutes. Then chop into cubes - roughly 3/4 of an inch.
Heat the butter in a large high-sided saute pan over medium-high heat. Add the onions, carrots and celery and cook until soft. Add the mushrooms and cook till they turn color. Add the garlic and thyme and cook for 1 minute. Add the onion mixture, sausage, bread, goat cheese, parsley, and 2 cups of the chicken stock to the rice. Mix to combine. The mixture should be quite wet; add more stock, if needed. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Transfer the mixture to a large buttered baking dish and bake, uncovered, until heated through and golden brown, about 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and let rest 10 minutes before serving.