Wild Rice

This recipe from The New Laurel's Kitchen (one of my favorite cookbooks) has been a reliably satisfying winter recipe for us for years. There's nothing that makes it exclusively wintery I suppose, but it seems like it's usually cold and wet out when I think of preparing it. It's hearty and filling as is, but it's over-the-top good alongside a hunk of salmon (maybe baked with mayo/ mustard/ dill spread over the top).

Here's the recipe as it reads in Laurel's Kitchen, with notes on my changes.

1 cup wild rice* (I use less wild rice and more brown rice to reduce the cost.)

1/3 c. brown rice*

1 carrot* (I sub or add parsnips.)

1 large stalk celery

6 green onions

1 garlic clove

2 Tbs. oil

5 cups boiling water* (For some reason this is too much and I usually use 2.5 cups. I also forgot to bring it to a boil first last time and it didn't make a difference.)

1 tsp. marjoram

1/4 tsp. thyme

pinch rosemary

1 tsp. salt

dash pepper

1/3 cup toasted almonds

Rinse grain well. Chop carrot and celery in 1/4" cubes. Chop green onions and sauté them with garlic in oil. Crush garlic clove with a fork. Add water and bring to a boil. Stir in the vegetables, rice, herbs, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat, and cook gently for an hour or more, until the rice is tender. Chop the almonds and add them about 20 minutes before serving. Makes about 5 cups.