Wild Rice Bread Dressing With Apple, Nuts, Cranberries

A beautiful bread dressing to serve with poultry or pork.

• Ready In: 2 hrs 30 mins
• Serves: 8-10

Ingredients

• 2⁄3 cup dried cranberries, coarsely chopped
• 1⁄2 cup  orange-flavored liqueur or 1⁄2 cup triple sec or 1⁄2 cup Grand Marnier
• 1  cup wild rice, rinsed
• 1⁄2 cup unsalted butter
• 1  cup yellow onion, minced
• 1  cup celery, minced
• 2  tablespoons orange zest, finely grated
• 4  cups  bread cubes, 1/2 inch cubes from a crusty, day-old baguette
• 1  cup apple, diced in 1/2 inch cubes
• 2  tablespoons fresh sage, chopped
• 1  tablespoon flat leaf parsley, chopped
• 1  cup pecans, toasted and chopped
• 3⁄4 cup  orange juice, freshly squeezed
• 1  cup chicken broth, more if needed
• 1  teaspoon kosher salt
• 1⁄4 teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground

Directions

1. Put dried cranberries into a small bowl, add liqueur (substitute orange juice, if you prefer).
2. Let soak for an hour, then drain excess liqueur (save to deglaze a pan).
3. Meanwhile, put wild rice into a saucepan, add water to cover the rice by about an inch.
4. Bring to a boil, immediately reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer until tender, and most of the grains have popped open, approximately 40-60 minutes.
5. Pour the rice into a colander and drain well.
6. Heat oven to 350F degrees.
7. Butter a 13x9 inch baking dish.
8. In a medium skillet melt the butter over medium-low heat.
9. Add the onion and celery, cook until softened, about 5 minutes.
10. Scrape the mixture into a large bowl.
11. Stir in the orange zest.
12. Add the cooked wild rice, cranberries, bread cubes, apple, sage, parsley and pecans.
13. Stir to combine.
14. Pour in the orange juice and broth.
15. Season with salt and pepper.
16. Stir to blend, bread cubes should be evenly moistened. Some of the broth may pool at the bottom of the bowl but, will get absorbed as the dressing cooks; or if mixture is too dry add a little more broth it depends on how dry the bread was).
17. Pour the dressing mixture into the baking dish.
18. Cover with foil.
19. Bake until hot throughout, about 50 minutes.
20. Remove foil and continue to bake until dressing is crusty on top, another 15-20 minutes.