Contest-Winning Mushroom Wild Rice

Name: Contest-Winning Mushroom Wild Rice
Prep time: 1 h 20 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 1 h 50 min
Yield: 12 servings.
Ingredients: 4 cups water; 1 cup uncooked wild rice; 1 teaspoon butter; 1-1/2 teaspoons salt, divided; 1/2 cup uncooked brown rice; 8 bacon strips, diced; 2 cups sliced fresh mushrooms; 1 large onion, chopped; 1 medium green pepper, chopped; 1 medium sweet red pepper, chopped; 1 celery rib, thinly sliced; 1 can (14-1/2 ounces) beef broth; 2 tablespoons cornstarch; 1/4 cup cold water; 1/2 cup slivered almonds

This colorful casserole is a standout from my mother's collection of family recipes. Excellent texture and taste guarantee it won't play second fiddle to either the turkey or the pumpkin pie! -Charlene Baert, Winnipeg, Manitoba

Ingredients

4 cups water
1 cup uncooked wild rice
1 teaspoon butter
1-1/2 teaspoons salt, divided
1/2 cup uncooked brown rice
8 bacon strips, diced
2 cups sliced fresh mushrooms
1 large onion, chopped
1 medium green pepper, chopped
1 medium sweet red pepper, chopped
1 celery rib, thinly sliced
1 can (14-1/2 ounces) beef broth
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/4 cup cold water
1/2 cup slivered almonds

Directions

In a large saucepan, combine the water, wild rice, butter and 1/2 teaspoon salt; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 40 minutes. Stir in brown rice. Cover and simmer for 25-30 minutes longer or until rice is tender.
Meanwhile, in a large skillet, cook bacon until crisp. Remove bacon to paper towels; drain, reserving 2 tablespoons drippings. In the drippings, saute the mushrooms, onion, peppers and celery until vegetables are tender. Stir in broth and remaining salt. Bring to a boil.
Combine the cornstarch and cold water until smooth; stir into the mushroom mixture. Cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened; stir in almonds and bacon. Drain rice; add mushroom mixture.
Transfer to a greased 13-in. x 9-in. baking dish. Cover and bake at 350° for 25 minutes. Uncover; bake 5-10 minutes longer or until heated through.

Nutrition Facts

3/4 cup: 220 calories, 12g fat (4g saturated fat), 11mg cholesterol, 533mg sodium, 23g carbohydrate (2g sugars, 2g fiber), 6g protein.

Originally published as Mushroom Wild Rice in Taste of Home October/November 2000

Reviews

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Average Rating:

justmbeth

Feb 2, 2018

Good rice recipe for special occasions. I liked that I could do much of the prep in advance.
KellyO39

Sep 24, 2016

I have been making Charlene's recipe for years without fail with fresh caught pickerel. Always a hit! Texture and combination of flavours have been complimented time and again. Thank you!
newvillemom

Jan 3, 2014

I made this last night. The flavor was not bad, but certainly did not stand out or impress me. In my opinion, it wasn't worth the time involved in preparation, compared to the results I obtained. It tasted ok, but not something I would do again. If I did, I would buy the standard wild rice mix to shorten the time. Combining the brown rice and wild rice from scratch did not produce a noticeable difference in quality or flavor, in my opinion.
matteliz

Nov 13, 2012

I make this recipe every Thanksgiving. The crunch of the almonds and the chewiness of the wild rice are so good together!
HBcook

Apr 25, 2009

This is a GREAT recipe but takes some time to make - worth it though. I served it as the starch and veggie for our dinner.