Three-rice pilaf

Ingredients
1/2 cup wild rice
1/2 cup brown rice
1 cup basmati rice
4 cups homemade chicken stock*
5 T. unsalted butter
1 yellow onion, finely chopped
1 cup pine nuts, slivered almonds, or pistachio nuts
1/4 cup currants, or 2 chopped dates
1 T. dried mint
Fresh mint leaves (garnish)

Directions
Heat 2 T. of unsalted butter in a pan.  Saute the wild rice and the brown rice in the butter until slightly blanched (about 5 minutes).  Add 2 cups of broth.  Reduce heat and cook, covered for 1 hour on “low”.  Rice may not quite absorb all liquid, but that’s OK.  Take off heat, let stand 5 minutes, then fluff with a fork.

Heat 3 T. of unsalted butter in a pan.  Saute the basmati rice, the nuts, and the currants or dates in the butter until the rice is blanched, with a few grains slightly golden (5-10 minutes).  Add 2 cups of broth and the mint, reduce heat, and cook, covered, on low for 20 minutes.  Remove from heat and let stand for 5 minutes, then fluff with a fork.  Gently mix the basmati rice with the wild/brown rice, being careful not to mash the grains.  Serve garnished with fresh mint leaves.

 

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*Disclaimer:  if you use pre-made chicken stock this recipe will not be as good.  Seriously – how hard is it to throw a chicken carcass in a pot of boiling water with an onion, a carrot, a bay leaf, and some salt?