Spirited Entertaining 2 - Great New Recipes using Manitoba Foods - Manitoba Agriculture, Food and Rural Initiatives

August 2006

Spirited Entertaining 2: Great New Recipes Using Manitoba Foods

The hearty tastes of autumn make it a great choice for the holiday season.

1 cup	(250 mL)	uncooked wild rice
5 1/2 cups	(1.375 L)	low-salt chicken broth or water
1 cup	(250 mL)	pecan halves
1 cup	(250 mL)	golden raisins (soaked in hot water for 30 minutes)
		zest of 1 large orange
2 tbsp	(30 mL)	finely chopped fresh mint leaves
6		green onions, thinly slices
1/4 cup	(50 mL)	canola oil
1/3 cup	(75 mL)	orange juice
1 1/2 tsp	(7 mL)	salt
		pepper to taste
Rinse rice thoroughly in cold water. Put rice in medium saucepan and add broth. Bring to a rapid boil; lower heat to a gentle simmer. Cook, uncovered, 30 to 45 minutes, checking after 30 minutes. Rice should be tender but not mushy. Drain rice in fine sieve and let cool. Put rice in a salad bowl; add pecans, raisins, orange zest, mint leaves and green onions. In a small bowl, mix canola oil, orange juice, salt and pepper. Blend well and pour over rice. Mix gently; cover and chill for 1 hour. Makes: 6 servings. Manitoba Canola Growers Association www.mcgacanola.org Wild rice is a historical and native Manitoba food that has become a desired ingredient in fine dining. An annual aquatic native grass, it grows naturally in the province’s northern region, from The Pas to Pukatawagon and in the eastern Whiteshell, from the Trans-Canada Highway (#1) to Norway House.