Wild Rice With Orange Fennel Food

ORANGE, FENNEL & WILD RICE SALAD

Steps:

• Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Toss the carrots, oil and some seasoning on a large baking tray. Cook for 25-30 mins until tender. While the carrots cook, fill 2 large pans with salted water and bring to the boil. Add the rice to one pan and the lentils to the other. Cook following pack instructions, or until just cooked, then drain and set aside to cool.
• Zest the oranges over a large bowl. Cut away the peel and pith, then cut along each piece of membrane to remove the segments, catching any juices in the bowl. Set the segments aside. Add the ingredients for the dressing to the orange zest and juice, season and whisk.
• When the carrots have cooled a little, add to the dressing with the remaining salad ingredients, including the cooked rice, lentils and orange segments. Toss together and serve on a big platter.

CRANBERRY AND ORANGE WILD RICE

Steps:

• Put cranberries in a medium bowl and pour in enough hot tap water to cover. Set aside while you make the rice.
• In a medium pot over medium-high heat, add the water, orange juice, and butter, and bring to a boil. Stir in the rice, and the included contents of the seasoning packet, and return to a boil. Turn the heat to low, cover, and cook until the rice is tender, about 20 to 25 minutes. Drain the cranberries and add them to the rice along with the orange zest, and almonds. Gently stir them in, fluffing the rice. Transfer the rice to a serving bowl, cover and keep warm until ready to serve.

WILD RICE WITH FENNEL AND PORCINI

Steps:

• In a small bowl soak porcini in boiling-hot water 20 to 30 minutes, or until softened. Slowly strain soaking liquid through a fine sieve lined with a coffee filter or a double thickness of rinsed and squeezed cheesecloth into a small saucepan, being careful to leave last tablespoon containing sediment in bowl. Boil soaking liquid until reduced to about 1/3 cup. Wash porcini under cold water to remove any grit and pat dry. Chop porcini coarse.
• Bring reduced porcini liquid to a boil with cold water, salt, and rice and simmer, covered, 45 to 50 minutes, or until rice is tender and liquid is absorbed. (If rice is tender before liquid is absorbed drain in a colander.) Transfer rice to a serving bowl and keep warm, covered.
• In a heavy skillet cook fennel, onion, and mushrooms in butter over moderate heat, stirring, until fennel is tender, about 10 minutes. Add fennel mixture to rice and toss to combine. Rice may be made 3 hours ahead and kept covered at room temperature. Reheat rice in skillet, adding water to prevent it from sticking to skillet.

BROWN AND WILD RICE WITH SAUSAGE AND FENNEL

Steps:

• Simmer water and wild rice in small saucepan 20 minutes. Drain.
• Heat heavy large saucepan over medium-high heat. Fry sausage until cooked through, breaking up sausage with fork, about 4 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer sausage to large bowl.
• Add 2 tablespoons oil to same saucepan. Mix in fennel, bell pepper and fennel seeds and sauté until tender, about 10 minutes. Add to sausage. Heat remaining 1 tablespoon oil in same saucepan. Add leeks and garlic and sauté until tender and golden, about 8 minutes. Add brown rice and stir 1 minute. Mix in broth and wild rice. Season with pepper. Bring to boil. Reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer until rice is tender and liquid is absorbed, about 40 minutes. Add hot rice to sausage mixture and toss well. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and chill.) Serve hot.

WILD RICE, SAUSAGE AND FENNEL STUFFING

Steps:

• Combine broth, rice, 1 cup water and fennel seeds in heavy large saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium, cover and simmer until rice is tender, stirring occasionally, about 55 minutes. Drain.
• Sauté sausage in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat until cooked through, breaking up with back of spoon, about 10 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer sausage to paper towels and drain. Add chopped fennel bulbs and onions to drippings in skillet. Sauté over medium-high heat until vegetables are golden, about 10 minutes. Add rice and sausage to skillet. Sauté until heated through, about 3 minutes. Stir in walnuts, if desired. Season to taste with salt and pepper. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate. If serving as side dish, rewarm covered in 350°F. oven for 20 minutes.) Transfer to bowl and serve. If using as stuffing, cool completely and fill bird.

FENNEL WILD RICE SALAD

Steps:

• Rinse wild rice thoroughly; drain. In a small saucepan, combine water and rice; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, covered, 50-55 minutes or until rice is fluffy and tender. Drain if necessary., Transfer rice to a small bowl. Drizzle with lemon juice and oil; toss to coat. Stir in remaining ingredients.