Porcini Chicken With Wild Rice And Wheat Berries Food

PORCINI CHICKEN WITH WILD RICE AND WHEAT BERRIES

Steps:

• Cook rice:
• Bring 4 cups water to a boil in a 2-quart heavy saucepan, then add rice and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Reduce heat to low and simmer, covered, until rice is tender and grains are split open, 1 to 1 1/4 hours (not all liquid will be absorbed). Drain in a colander.
• Cook wheat berries while rice simmers:
• Bring remaining 4 cups water to a boil in a 3-quart heavy saucepan, then stir in wheat berries and 1 1/4 cups porcini. Reduce heat and simmer, partially covered, over low heat until wheat berries are tender, 1 to 1 1/4 hours. Stir in 1/2 teaspoon salt and pour wheat berry mixture into a large sieve set over another saucepan or a skillet. Reserve wheat berries and porcini in a bowl and boil cooking liquid until reduced to about 1 cup, then add to wheat berry mixture. (Cut up any porcini that are large.)
• Cook chicken:
• Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 450°F.
• Grind remaining 3/4 cup porcini to a powder in coffee/spice grinder. (If porcini are too moist to grind, dry completely on a baking sheet in oven 3 to 5 minutes, then cool before grinding.)
• Pat chicken dry, then arrange in 1 layer on a sheet of wax paper. Sprinkle both sides of chicken with remaining 3/4 teaspoon salt and season with pepper. Put porcini powder in a fine mesh sieve and dust both sides of chicken generously, shaking off excess.
• Heat oil and 1/2 tablespoon butter in a 12-inch heavy skillet over moderately high heat until foam subsides, then brown chicken in 2 batches, without crowding, turning over once, about 4 minutes per batch. Transfer chicken to a shallow baking dish as browned (reserve fat in skillet). Bake browned chicken until just cooked through, 3 to 5 minutes, then let stand 5 minutes before slicing.
• While chicken bakes and stands, add remaining 1/2 tablespoon butter to fat in skillet and cook garlic over moderately low heat, stirring, 1 minute. Add wine and boil over high heat, stirring and scraping up brown bits, until reduced by half, about 3 minutes. Add wild rice, tomatoes, and wheat berry mixture (including reduced cooking liquid) and bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. Stir in dill and season with salt and pepper. Slice chicken and serve with rice mixture.
• *Available at natural foods store and specialty markets.

INA GARTEN WILD MUSHROOM RISOTTO

Steps:

• Place the dried morels in a bowl and pour 2 cups boiling water over them. Set aside for 30 minutes.
• Scoop the morels from the water with a slotted spoon, reserving the liquid. You should have 2 cups; if not, add water to make 2 cups.
• Drain the morels and rinse once more. If some of the mushrooms are large, cut into 2 or 3 pieces. Pour the mushroom liquid through a coffee filter or paper towel, discarding the gritty solids. Set the mushrooms and the liquid aside separately.
• Meanwhile, remove and discard the stems of the porcini and rub any dirt off the caps with a damp paper towel. Dont rinse them! Slice thickly and set aside.
• In a small saucepan, heat the chicken stock with the 2 cups of reserved mushroom liquid and bring to a simmer.
• In a heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven, melt the butter and saute the pancetta and shallots over medium-low heat for 5 minutes.
• Add the morels and porcini and saute for another 5 minutes.
• Add the rice and stir to coat the grains with butter.
• Add the wine and cook for 2 minutes.
• Add 2 full ladles of the chicken stock mixture to the rice plus the saffron, salt, and pepper. Stir and simmer over low heat until the stock is absorbed, 5 to 10 minutes.
• Continue to add the stock mixture, 2 ladles at a time, stirring every few minutes. Each time, cook until the mixture seems a little dry before adding more of the stock mixture. Continue until the rice is cooked through, but still al dente, about 25 to 30 minutes total. When done, the risotto should be thick and creamy and not at all dry. Off the heat, stir in the Parmesan cheese. Serve hot in bowls with extra cheese.

BASMATI RICE WITH PORCINI MUSHROOMS

Steps:

• Soak dried mushrooms in 1 3/4 cup of hot tap water. Remove mushrooms from water after 20 minutes(reserve liquid) and slice mushrooms.
• Add butter to saucepan over medium heat, once butter has melted add onions, mushrooms and salt and cook until onions are translucent. Add the rice and toss until all of the grains are coated with the butter. Add the reserved mushroom water, cover and cook until the water is absorbed and the rice is tender, about 15 to 20 minutes. Turn off the heat and allow to sit covered for 5 to 10 minutes. Add parsley and fluff with a fork.

RICE AND WHEAT BERRY PILAF WITH BABY SPINACH

Steps:

• Place wheat berries in heavy medium saucepan. Add enough cold water to saucepan to cover wheat berries by 3 inches. Let stand overnight. Drain.
• Bring 4 cups water, wheat berries and 3/4 teaspoon salt to boil in same saucepan. Reduce heat, cover and simmer until wheat berries are tender but still slightly firm to bite, about 1 hour. Drain.
• Heat oil in heavy large saucepan over medium heat. Add rice and garlic; stir 1 minute. Stir in remaining 1 3/4 cups water and 3/4 teaspoon salt; bring to boil. Reduce heat to low, cover and cook until liquid is almost absorbed and rice is tender, about 15 minutes. Add spinach and cooked wheat berries; stir until spinach wilts and wheat berries are heated through, about 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Serve hot.
• *Also called hard wheat berries. Available at most natural foods stores.
• **Available at Indian markets and many supermarkets.