Wild Mushrooms and Wild Rice Pilaf

Fall is the season for wild mushrooms, which can be found in the woods if you know where to look, and what to look for. If you go mushroom hunting, do it with someone who is an expert and knows which mushrooms are safe to pick and eat. Happily, wild mushrooms that are safe to eat are offered now by many grocers. Saute these delicious little morsels in a little olive oil with some finely chopped garlic and shallots and the delicious aroma of the woods begins to waft through the kitchen. Add some wild rice and simmer with some good homemade chicken stock and wait patiently if you can. Then add Aborio rice to the pot and simmer until all of the chicken stock has been absorbed. Finally, when all is done, fluff the rice with a fork and add the toasted hazelnuts. Garnish with fresh chives and parsley and you have an excellent side dish to accompany a good grilled steak or a beautiful fillet of salmon.

Ingredients

2 shallots, peeled and finely chopped
4 cloves of garlic, peeled and finely chopped
1 cup of wild mushrooms roughly chopped
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh thyme
1/2 cup wild rice1 cup Aborio rice
3 cups fat free homemade chicken broth
1/2 cup chopped toasted hazelnuts
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
3 tablespoons roughly chopped fresh parsley
3 tablespoons freshly snipped chives

Directions:

Rinse the wild rice well and drain. Put the shallots, garlic, thyme and wild mushrooms in a pan with 2 tablespoons of good olive oil and sauté for a few minutes until the mushrooms begin to brown. Add the wild rice to the shallots, mushrooms, thyme and garlic stir for 1 minute. Add the chicken stock and some sea salt and bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low. Cover the pot and simmer for 25 minutes until the wild rice is tender. The kernels will begin to break open when it is ready. Next remove the cover and add the Aborio white rice and stir once. Re-cover the pot and continue to simmer for 20 minutes. Uncover the pot and check to see it the rice is tender and the liquid is absorbed. If not, re-cover and simmer a few minutes more until all the liquid is absorbed. Fluff the rice with a fork and add the toasted hazelnuts, sea salt and pepper to taste. Toss with a fork to mix well. Transfer to a serving dish and sprinkle with fresh parsley and chives.

Note: To toast hazelnuts spread a single layer of nuts on a baking sheet and toast in a preheated 350°F oven until they begin to change color, about 5 - 8 minutes. Allow to cool and roughly chop with a knife.