Driftless Café Canoe Harvested Wild Rice with Dates, Black Walnuts and Sage
This wild rice dish contains dates, black walnuts and sage, an inspired combination.
Makes 4 or 5 main-dish or 6 side-dish servings
3 cups water or chicken or mushroom stock
1 cup (uncooked) wild rice
2 teaspoons butter
¼ cup diced onion
2 cloves garlic, sliced thin
¼ cup white wine
¼ cup packed date pieces
¼ cup chopped black walnuts 1 package (1 ounce) fresh sage, leaves sliced thin (chiffonade)
½ cup heavy whipping cream
½ to 1 teaspoon salt (to taste — more if you use water instead of broth)
¼ to ½ teaspoon black pepper (to taste)
1 teaspoon chile flakes or to taste
Bring water or stock to a boil, stir in wild rice, reduce heat and simmer, covered, 40 to 45 minutes or just until kernels puff open. Uncover and fluff with a fork and simmer an additional five minutes. Drain off any excess liquid.
Over medium heat, sweat butter, onions and garlic until tender. Add cooked wild rice and white wine. Reduce to almost dry.
Add dates, black walnuts, cream and sage. Reduce cream until rice resembles a risotto base; this will take only a couple of minutes.
Season with salt, black pepper and chile flakes. Serve.
Note: The café uses Organic Valley butter and cream.