Creamy Wild Mushroom and Wild Rice Casserole

This is not just mushroom soup and rice. This combines fresh herbs wild mushrooms, fennel, onions, sherry and a creamy cheesy bechemel sauce, all topped with a crunchy crusty topping. This is a rich decadent side dish which is amazing with roasted turkey, chicken, cornish hens or pork. Using any rice you want, a quick cooking, or any boxed rice, or the old fashioned way. But I take the short cut for this to make my life easier, but either way, the casserole is great.

• Ready In: 1 hr 15 mins
• Serves: 6-8

Ingredients

• 1 (6 ounce) box  long grain and wild rice blend (3 cups cooked)
• 4  cups  wild mushrooms (a mix of shitaki, crimini, button, oyster, or any combination)
• 2  tablespoons butter
• 1  cup fennel, thin sliced
• 1 1⁄4 cups onions, diced
• 1  tablespoon fresh thyme
• 1  tablespoon fresh parsley
• 1  teaspoon kosher salt
• 1⁄2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1  teaspoon olive oil
• 2  tablespoons butter

• Sauce

• 2 1⁄4 cups milk
• 2  tablespoons flour
• 2  tablespoons butter
• 1  cup swiss cheese, shredded (or you can use gruyere which I prefer)
• 1⁄4 cup sherry wine
• 1  tablespoon fresh rosemary
• 1⁄2 teaspoon salt
• 1⁄4 teaspoon ground black pepper

• Topping

• 1 1⁄2  fresh breadcrumbs
• 1⁄2 cup ground pecans
• 1  tablespoon butter

Directions

1. Make the bread crumbs -- In a small food processor, take a couple slices of bread and process till you get fine crumbs. Measure out 1 1/2 cups. Then you can either buy ground or chopped fine pecans or you can grind your own. I like to buy the small 1/2 cup packages when I only need a small amount. In a large saute pan, add the the butter and melt on medium high, add the bread crumbs and nuts and cook until lightly browned, 3-4 minutes is all it takes. Remove and let cool.
2. Rice -- Make the rice according to directions. Any time I cook with rice, couscous, etc., I try to use chicken or vegetable broth rather than water to cook the grains. It just adds so much flavor with little work, but that is optional. Cook the rice and add to a 13x9 greased (or sprayed with pam) casserole dish.
3. Vegetables -- In that same pan we made the bread crumbs in (no need to use another pan), heat the olive oil and butter on medium heat and add the fennel, onions and mushrooms and cook on medium until they have become translucent and the mushrooms tender, about 7-10 minutes. then add the thyme, parsley salt and pepper and mix well. Add this to the rice in the casserole dish and lightly mix.
4. Sauce -- Once again in that same pan, add the butter and melt on medium, then add the flour and mix to make a roux. Let it cook just a minute. Now add the milk and stir well. Add in the sherry and then the seasoning. Bring to a medium boil just until it slightly thickens and then add in the shredded cheese and stir. Cook until nice a creamy and thick. Should resemble a nice cheese sauce. Pour this mixture over the rice and vegetables. Lightly toss to combine.
5. Topping -- Top with those bread crumbs and bake at 350 for 20 minutes until bubbly and the bread crumbs are golden brown.