Wild Rice Risotto Pilaf

Yet another recipe created while lying in bed thinking about how hungry I was and what it would take to satisfy me at that moment.  I do this more often than I care to admit. So the next day, it was on my agenda, only I didn't have the wild rice to get it done.  Its the ONLY wild thing I didn't have in my house. Anyway, days went by, I got the rice, but had other things to do..yada yada yada.  Today, I finally got to see my dream realized. I think I hit the nail right on the head with this one.
I love making  and more importantly, eating risotto, all kinds of it.  Asparagus, butternut squash, using red wine to turn it all purply, really any risotto is good with me. I think its the ultimate in UMAMI flavors.

This one is almost like a pilaf risotto. But it really does work. It would go really well with that pork loin that I had every intention on making tonight.  But the peanut butter jumped out at me and somehow a peanut butter pie was whipped up instead.  I swear, when my kitchen gets together with other kitchens for kitchens night out and they've had a few shots of spic and span, it must talk about how schizophrenic and random my cooking is.
Anyway, here's the recipe. Enjoy!!

Ingredients:

• ·         ½ cup wild rice
• ·         Olive oil, salt and pepper
• ·         1 head cauliflower
•  
• ·         48 Oz low sodium chicken broth
• ·         2 tbs butter
• ·         ½ medium onion
• ·         2 cloves chopped garlic
• ·         Handful of pecans, finely chopped
• ·         1 cup Arborio rice
• ·         4 sprigs of thyme
• ·         4 glugs of white wine (about 1/2 cup) + one glass for the cook
• ·         Salt
• ·         ¼-1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Instructions:

Cook wild rice according to package directions. Start is about an hour before you want to cook the risotto.  Make sure you cook all liquid out of the wild rice

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Cut cauliflower into florets, toss with olive oil, salt and pepper.  Roast for about 30 minutes until tender and some light brown spots on cauliflower.  Remove from oven and set aside, Or in my case, nibble on the florets while risotto is cooking. 

 

Heat chicken stock in pan over medium heat.  Turn to low and maintain temperature throughout the risotto cooking process. 

Heat butter in saucepan over medium heat.  Add onions, garlic and pecans, cook for a couple minutes

onions, garlic and pecans...great way to start a risotto

Add Arborio rice and pre cooked wild rice.  Season with a bit of salt.  Toast mixture for about 2-3 minutes.  Strip leaves from the thyme sprigs and add into mixture. 

Turn heat to medium low and Add your 4 or so glugs of wine, will be about ½ cup. Don't forget the cooks glass.  Stir mixture and allow the rice mixture to absorb all of the wine and begin to add the chicken stock.   About ½ cup to ¾ cup at a time.  Continue to stir the rice/stock mixture until the rice absorbs the liquid.  And don’t forget to check for seasoning.  Add salt if needed. Repeat this process for about 25-30 minutes until the rice is cooked.  You may have chicken broth left over, don’t feel the need to use all of it.  It may not need it. Be careful not to take the rice too far.  It can turn into mush.

Once the rice mixture is just aldente, remove from heat and vigorously stir in Parmesan cheese.  It’ll tighten the mixture up and make it even creamier.  Toss the roasted cauliflower into the rice mixture. 

Serve along with your favorite roasted meat.  It makes a great bedtime snack as well.   You enjoy your risotto. I have a peanut butter pie hollerin' out to me from the fridge.