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Fruited Wild Rice for #SundaySupper

Fruited Wild Rice is filled with walnuts and currants flavored with brandy. It's an elegant, easy side dish to serve with turkey, pork, chicken, or beef. | Magnolia Days

Easy is a relative term. I seem to discover more and more how what is easy for one person is quite difficult for another. Perfect example is with me and crafts. Yes, all crafts. I am completely craft challenged. I try, and then I give up. Meanwhile, I’m a little better at cooking. So when the theme of easy holiday entertaining came up, I decided to go with Fruited Wild Rice. It’s easy. At least I think so.

Rice must be easy. It’s made and consumed by billions of people around the world. Only thing is wild rice isn’t actually rice. It’s the grain harvested from certain grasses. Yet it is cooked the same way. All you do is simmer it with some water until tender. Seriously easy. Get water to a boil, add wild rice, turn down the heat to low, cover, and simmer until tender (about 50 minutes).

Fruited Wild Rice | Magnolia Days

How to make wild rice special for the holidays? Add spirits. Yep, cheers to the holiday season. Even better is to have those spirits soak into a little fruit while it is cooking. While you are at it and feeling festive, you might as well toast some nuts. Hardest part of that is not letting them burn. It only takes about 5 to 7 minutes at 375°F to get most nuts nicely toasted.

What all is in Fruited Wild Rice? The rice is cooked in vegetable stock instead of water. Stock adds a little extra richness and flavor. After it is done, you stir in walnut or olive oil, brandy soaked currants and toasted chopped walnuts. You let it sit for a few minutes then serve. Oh, for extra fruitiness you could use peach brandy. Either one works nicely. It goes wonderfully with ham, turkey, pork, or chicken.

Fruited Wild Rice | Magnolia Days

Do you entertain during the holidays? Even if things are rather busy and hectic this year, I suggest scrolling down to see the list of easy holiday recipes. Sunday Supper tastemakers have gone all out to help you make the best for not much effort. Set a date and call your friends and family now and invite them over. You can be the one to make the meal and treasured memories to go along with it.

Fruited Wild Rice | Magnolia Days

What else to make for the holiday entertaining? I happen to have a few recipes. Ahem. There’s the Self-Crust Coconut Pie (oh yea, no dealing with pie crust). How about a Honey Cola Baked Ham? For sure! Then use the ham leftovers and make Southern Ham Macaroni Salad. Oh, and of course the holidays would not be the same without Sweet Potato Casserole. Enjoy the season and make it as special as you can. Easy can be tasty too.

Fruited Wild Rice | Magnolia Days
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Fruited Wild Rice

Fruited Wild Rice is filled with walnuts and currants flavored with brandy. It's an elegant, easy side dish to serve with turkey, pork, chicken, or beef.
Course Side Dish
Cuisine Southern
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 50 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes
Servings 4 to 6 servings
Author Renee

Ingredients

  • 2/3 cup dried currants
  • 1/4 cup brandy peach brandy for extra fruitiness
  • 3 cups vegetable broth
  • 1 cup wild rice
  • 2 tablespoons walnut or olive oil
  • 1/2 cup chopped toasted walnuts
  • Salt and pepper if desired
  • Chopped fresh parsley for garnish

Instructions

  1. Stir together currants and brandy in a small bowl. Stir occasionally while rice is cooking.
  2. Bring broth to a boil. Add rice and stir. Cover and reduce heat to simmer until rice is tender, about 50 minutes.
  3. Drain rice if all the broth was not absorbed. Transfer rice to a serving bowl.
  4. Add currants, brandy, oil, and walnuts. Stir to combine. Let set for 5 minutes.
  5. Taste and season with salt and pepper if desired.
  6. Garnish with chopped fresh parsley.

Recipe Notes

Fruited Wild Rice is filled with walnuts and currants flavored with brandy. It's an elegant, easy side dish to serve with turkey, pork, chicken, or beef.

Recipe adapted from one in the Southern Living Our Best Christmas Recipes cookbook published in 1994.

Are you ready for the holiday season? Gathering family and friends does not have to be stressful or difficult. Take a look at these easy holiday entertaining recipes by Sunday Supper tastemakers:

Beverages

Appetizers

Main and Side Dishes

Desserts and Baked Goods

Plus a No-Stress Party Checklist by Sunday Supper Movement

Sunday Supper MovementJoin the #SundaySupper family on twitter every Sunday! We tweet throughout the day and share recipes from all over the world. Our weekly chat starts at 7:00 pm ET. Follow the #SundaySupper hashtag and remember to include it in your tweets to join in the conversation. To get more great Sunday Supper recipes, visit the Sunday Supper Movement website or check out our Sunday Supper Pinterest board.

Would you like to join the Sunday Supper Movement? It’s easy. You can sign up by clicking here: Sunday Supper Movement.

Recipe Rating




Shaina

Monday 2nd of November 2015

This sounds absolutely fantastic. I will definitely have to give it a try!

Wendy, A Day in the Life on the Farm

Sunday 1st of November 2015

What a delicious and flavorful side dish.

Christine | Mid-Life Croissant

Sunday 1st of November 2015

God this sounds amazing. Love the soaked currants. I need this in my life!

Sue Lau

Sunday 1st of November 2015

Wild rice does remind me of the colder seasons and I have always loved it, especially with seafood. Yours looks great, Renee!

Cindys Recipes and Writings

Sunday 1st of November 2015

All these flavors go so great together. Peach brandy seems perfect!