Wild Rice and Mushroom Casserole

Unable to find my go-to recipe for wild rice casserole, I adapted Creamy Wild Mushroom and Wild Rice Casserole (Thank you, SarasotaCook, couldn't have done it without you). You can use fresh herbs in place of dried ones and add ground nuts instead of hemp seeds (also sold in my area as hemp hearts). I used fresh button mushrooms, but any fresh mushrooms would work. I used Newfie savoury instead of parsley or regular savory. The French-fried onions are the ones you buy already cooked. I get mine at the Indian food store where they are less expensive. This is a tasty casserole that can go with just about anything. (Also, on a frigid cold prairie night, a hot casserole on your lap will keep you warm all the way to the potluck dinner!)

• Ready In: 1 hr 30 mins
• Serves: 8

Ingredients

• Rice

• 2⁄3 cup wild rice
• 2  cups cold water
• 3⁄4 teaspoon salt

• Vegetables

• 1  tablespoon olive oil
• 1  tablespoon butter
• 4  cups mushrooms, sliced thick
• 1  medium onion, diced
• 3 -4  celery ribs, diced
• 1  tablespoon dried thyme
• 1  tablespoon dried parsley or 1  tablespoon savory
• 1  teaspoon sea salt
• 1⁄2 teaspoon ground black pepper

• Sauce

• 2  tablespoons flour
• 2  tablespoons butter
• 2  cups skim milk
• 1⁄4 cup sherry wine
• 1  tablespoon dried rosemary
• 1⁄2 teaspoon sea salt
• 1⁄2 teaspoon ground black pepper

• Topping

• 1 1⁄2 cups  dried breadcrumbs
• 1  tablespoon butter, softened
• 2  tablespoons  hemp seeds
• 2  tablespoons  French-fried onions

Directions

1. Rice: Wash wild rice thoroughly and discard rinse water. In a heavy saucepan with a tight-fitting lid, combine rice, water and salt. Cover, bring to full boil, then immediately reduce heat. Check during cooking to ensure there is enough water to prevent scorching. Simmer for 45 to 60 minutes or until most of the kernels burst, but are still fairly chewy. This will make about 3 cups of cooked wild rice.
2. Vegetables: In a medium pan, heat olive oil and butter until melted together. Add mushrooms, onions and celery and cook on medium heat until they tender. Add spices and mix all together.
3. Sauce: In a medium saucepan, melt butter, then add flour, stirring to make a roux. Cook this for a minute or two to help eliminate any floury taste. Add milk gradually and stir well. Keep stirring until the sauce thickens. Add the sherry and seasonings. Cook a few minutes longer until the sauce is thick and creamy.
4. Topping: In a medium bowl, mix together breadcrumbs and butter.
5. Assemble: Mix together the rice, vegetables and sauce and put into a 8" x 13" baking pan or similar sized casserole dish. Top with breadcrumb mixture. Sprinkle hemp seeds and French-fried onions over top.
6. Cook: Bake at 350 for 30 minutes until the sauce is bubbly and the crumb topping is slightly browned.