Authentic Minnesota Wild Rice Recipes + History Facts from Brownielocks.

To say that wild rice only comes from Minnesota is a false statement. Wild rice is native to the United States and grows in fresh water and in brackish swamps from New England to Texas to North Dakota. But, its greatest abundance has always been in the State of Minnesota! In brief, it grows in nearly every state east of the Rocky Mountains and has some 60 local names, with many of them associated with Indian names of the area in which it grows. For example:
Conneticut - "Blackbird Oats"
Louisiana and Wisconsin - "Fool Oats"
Delaware and Pennsylvania - "Indian Oats"
Texas - "Indian Rice"
North Carolina - "Wild Oats"

Although wild rice is one of America's native foods (along with cranberries, pumpkins etc.) , it isn't grown just in the US. Wild Rice is native across the North American continent from Canada to Mexico. And, today it's now planted and grown worldwide, especially in China and Japan, where it also bears 11 Chinese and Japanese names.

Wild Rice reaches its greatest size, however, in the southern United States, where it may grow as high as twelve feet, with a stalk over 2 inches in diameter. Where it may grow no higher and 3 or 4 feet in the Northern Regions. It loves deep, rich soil.

Wild rice is cooked and used just like brown or white rice and is often combined with them.

Ten Helpful Tips About Wild Rice

1. Wild Rice should be stored in a cool dry place
and in a tightly covered container.
2. How Much to Cook? 1 lbs. = 20-25 average servings.
In other words, it puffs up a lot!
3. One Cup Raw = 3 or 4 Cups Cooked.
4. You can freeze cooked wild rice if you make too much.
5. When blendng with white or brown rice, use
a 50-50 ratio.
6. Just like with white rice, when cooking replace water with chicken broth for a greater flavor.
7. Microwaving isn't recommended when cooking wild rice. (Note: See Cooking Method Below)
8. Lumberjacks used to eat wild rice for breakfast with honey and milk (along the lines of oatmeal).
9. If the wild taste of the rice bothers you, it can be toned down by changing the water while cooking a few times.

10. To reheat wild rice (already cooked) at 2 Tablespoons of butter to an open skilled at heat.

Hint: Why does some wild rice taste a bit different than others?
First of all, wild rice should be a little chewy with a nutty-like flavor when cooked in it's basic form. But, the main factor in the determning how good your rice will really is not up to you. It all depends on WHEN it was harvested (how mature it is) and how it was handled during the processing. I, personally, look for a long grain that's rather dark. I do not like the so-called "microwaveable" wild rice at all. I cook mine the long way...approximately 45 minutes for 1 cup.

History & Folklore of Wild Rice

The Ojibwa and Sioux Indians of Minnesota call it "Mahnomem" The early French explorers in Minnesota and Canada called it Folles Avoines (wild oats). Ironically, wild rice isn't really a rice at all. It is an aquatic cereal grain with a biological technical name of Zizania Aquatica.

Manominikegississ is their August Moon, aka rice-harvesting time.

How is it harvested? Wild Rice harvesting is one process that modern technology still hasn't touched. The rice is still harvested the same way today as it was years before. It is usually done in a canoe or low-sided wooden boat. One person "poles the boat" through the rice bed while another person in the boat knocks the rice kernels off the stocks and into the boat. How? It's done with two long sticks and with one hand you bend the plants over into the boat and while holding it down, you beat the kernels off into the boat. Needless to say, this person has to be co-coordinated, and also skilled as to not tip the boat over or your entire harvest is all gone. :(

The rice is then taken to the location where it is processed, namely the hulls are removed, cleaned of debris, dried and ready for bagging and selling.

The last I heard, only a native American in Minnesota is allowed to harvest wild rice; and so it is usually sold by the Chippewa Indians in the Northern Minnesota area. This might have changed because I haven't lived there in a while... and they also now have gambling which they didn't before. So times and rules change.

Wash the rice thoroughly by running it under cold water in a strainer.
Add 1 cup of raw wild rice to 3 cups of boiling water in a heavy saucepan or pot.
Reduce heat and simmer covered for 35 to 50 minutes. (I like 45 minutes myself.)
Or, just until those kernels puff open. Then, uncover, fluff with a fork and simmer 5 more minutes.
Drain any excess fluid. If you like chewier rice, cook less minutes.
Makes Approximately: 3 or 4 Cups of Cooked Rice.
(It all depends on how long the kernels are)

According to Trish Milne, you can microwave wild rice. Here is what she recommends:
"If you have a later model microwave unit with lots of power settings, you can microwave wild rice. I have a GE Profile and here is how I cook the rice. 5 min. on level 7 (Level 10, or highest, tends to boil over). Then 40 or so minutes on power level “2”. The conventional cooking method is great, but I like to be able to forget about it while it’s cooking. I tend to boil rice dry on the stovetop, so this way works for me."
I've never micro waved mine, but thanks Trish for this information for anyone who wants to.

Note: A generous serving of wild rice contains less than 50 calories!
The following data is from the U.S. Agriculture Handbook #8
3 1/2 oz. of wild rice showed the following:
14.10 grams Protein
339.0 Milligrams Phosphorus
.79 Grams Fat
4.20 Milligrams Iron
.45 Milligrams Thiamine
.63 Milligrams Riboflavin
75.00 Grams Carbohydrates
7.00 Milligrams Sodium
6.20 Milligrams Niacin
19.00 Milligrams of Calcium
220.00 Milligrams of Potassium

To the hot cooked wild rice, they tossed in brown sugar and milk or cream.
This makes for a real stick to your ribs breakfast.
The lumberjacks used to eat this so that they could skip lunch and work all day without losing their energy until supper time. Thus, it's very high in calories and carbohydrates, but good!

1 ( 6 1/2 oz) Can of Tuna
1 Can (5 oz) Chow Mein Noodles
1/2 Cup Grated Colby or Cheddar Cheese
3 Cups Cooked Wild Rice
1 Can (10.5 oz) Cream of Mushroom Soup
1/2 Soup Can of Water

In a 2 quart casserole mix the wild rice, soup, water and tuna with part of the noodles. Sprinkle the remainder of the noodles on top, along with the grated cheese. Bake at 350F for 45 minutes.
Serves: 4-5 Normal Size Servings.

2 Cups Water
1/2 Cup Wild Rice( washed and raw)
1 Cup Long Grain Brown Rice (raw)
2/3 Cup Fozen Peas
1/2 Cup Sliced Fresh or Canned Mushrooms

Bring water to boil. Add washed wild rice, reduce heat, cover and simmer 20 minutes. Then add the brown rice and return to boiling for a few seconds, then reduce heat, cover and simmer 20 minutes.
Add the peas and mushrooms and yes....simmer some more....10 minutes. Serve with butter.
Yields Approximately 6-8 Servings.

3 beaten Eggs
1 1/2 Cups of Half & Half
3/4 Cup Grated Swiss Cheese
3/4 Cup Grated Monterey Jack Cheese
3 Green Onions (chopped)
1 Tablespoon (chopped) Parsley
5 Slices of crumbled, fried bacon.
2 Cups Cooked Wild Rice
1 Unbaked Pie Shell

Combine all these ingredients. Pour into the unbaked pie shell.
Bake at 450F for 10 minutes.
Reduce heat to 350F and continue baking for 30 more minutes.

4 Oz. Butter
1/2 Cup Chopped Onions
1 Can (8 oz) Mushrooms (Chopped)
8 Fresh Walleye Fillets
1 Cup Uncooked Wild Rice
6 Oz. Sliced Almonds
1/2 Lbs. Butter
Bread Crumbs

Cook wild rice to desired consistency. In 4 oz. of butter sauté 1/2 cup chopped onions until almost clear. Add the mushrooms and cooked wild rice.

Season the fillets with salt and pepper as desired. Roll in bread crumbs. Place the filets in oven and bake at 450F for 15 minutes. In 1/2 lbs of butter, sauté the sliced almonds. Serve the filets with the wild rice on the side. Spoon the butter and almonds over the filets and rice. Garnish as desired.
Makes 8 servings.

4 Cups of Cooked Chicken (or Grouse, Pheasant or Duck)
4 Cups Cooked Wild Rice
1 Can (10.5 oz) Cream of Celery Soup or Cream of Mushroom
1 Can (10.5 oz) of Chicken Broth or Water if you don't have any.
1 Small Onion Chopped.

Grease a baking dish. Mix all the ingredients above and pour into the dish.
Bake at 350F for approximately 1 hour.

1 Cup Cooked Wild Rice
1 Cup Cooked White Rice
2 Cups Drained Crushed Pineapple
1 Cup Miniature Marshmallows
1/4 Cup Maraschino Cherries

Mix all this together and chill for at least 2 hours. Before serving, fold in 1 Cup of Whipped Cream (real stuff with 1/4 cup sugar and 1 tps vanilla). Some people use Cool Whip, but I'm not fond of it for this dish. It's up to you. Fold the rice mixture with the cream and serve.
Makes Approximately 10 Servings.

3 Cups Cooked Wild Rice
1 Cup Copped Onions
1 Cup Chopped Celery
1 Can (4 oz) Mushrooms
1 Lbs. Sausage Meat, seasoned.
1/4 Cup Flour
2 Cups of Milk
1/4 Cup Buttered Bread Crumbs
1/2 Teaspoon Worcestershire Sauce

Fry the sausage approximately 15 min. or until brown. Drain grease. Sauté mushrooms, celery and onions in butter until tender. Add flour and stir until smooth. Gradually add milk, stirring constantly and continue stirring until the sauce is thick and smooth. Add Worcestershire sauce, rice and sausage to mushroom sauce and place mixture in a greased casserole dish. Top with the buttered bread crumbs and bake at 375F for 30 minutes.
Serve: 8

(This is a good way to use up leftover rice or broken rice. It's well-loved during cold and flu season.)

1 Cup Cubed Cooked Chicken
3 Tablespoons Butter
3 Tablespoons Flour
1/2 Cup Chopped Celery
1/2 Medium Onion diced up.
1 Can (10.5 oz) Chicken Broth
2 Cups Milk
1 Cup Cooked Wild Rice
Salt and Pepper as desired

Melt butter in saucepan. Sauté onions and celery until tender but crisp. Stir in flour, salt and pepper. Add the chicken broth and milk. Stir until thickened. Add wild rice and chicken.
Serves: 4 -6 depending on the size of the bowls.

1/2 Cup Wild Rice
2 1/2 Cups of Water
2 Tablespoons Butter
1 Teaspoon Minced Onion
1/4 Cup Flour
4 Cups of Chicken Broth
(Or 6 chicken bullion cubes with 4 cups of water)
1/3 Cup Grated Carrots (Use the side with the large holes!)
3 Tablespoons Slivered Almonds
1 Pint of Half and Half
2 Teaspoons Dry Cooking Sherry
Some minced parsley or chives

Combine the wild rice with the water and cook according to the basic recipe above. Once the wild rice is cooked, set it aside.
Then...Prepare the chicken broth (if doing it with bullion cubes) or just heat the chicken broth, and set aside. In a saucepan, melt the butter, and saute onions until tender. Blend in flour gradually and add broth stirring constantly with a wire wisk until mixture thickens slightly. Stir in the cooked wild rice, carrots, almonds (salt and pepper to taste) and simmer about 5 minutes. Blend in half and half and sherry. Heat it all to serving temperatue and garnish with minced parsley or chives.
Serves: 6 or 7

1 Package Active Dry Yeast
1/3 Cup Warm Water (105F to 115F)
2 Cups of Milk, scalded and cooled to 105F or so.
2 Tablespoons butter (melted)
2 Teaspoons Salt
1/2 Cup Honey
1/2 Cup (Uncooked) Rolled Oats
1/2 Cup Rye Flour
2 Cups Whole Wheat Flour
4 to 4 1/2 Cups of Unbleached All-Purpose Flour or Bread Flour
1 Cup Cooked Wild Rice
1 Egg (beaten with 1 tablespoon of water)
1/2 Cup hulled sunflower seeds (optional)

In a very large bowl, dissolve the yeast in water. Add the milk, butter, salt and honey.
Stir in oats, rye flour, whole wheat flour and 2 cups of the bead flour to make a soft dough.
Add wild rice. Cover and let rest for 15 minutes. Now stir in just enough additional bread flour to make a stiffer dough. Turn this onto a bread board and kneed happily for about 10 minutes.
Add more flour as necessary to keep dough from sticking. Turn dough into a lightly greased bowl, turn over and cover and let it rise until it has doubled in its size === about 2 hours?

Punch it down. Kneed some more briefly on lightly oiled board.
Shape it into a big lump. Then divide this lump into3 sections and shape each section into a long strands and then braid.
Place bread braid onto a greased baking sheet to make a wreath or divide as you wish into smaller breads such as 10x6 inch greased bread pans. Let this rise until the bread has doubled it's size again.

This will be about 45 minutes.
Brush the tops of the loaves with the egg mixture. Slash loaves if desired for a design.
Bake at 375F for 45 minutes or until loaves sound hollow when tapped.

4 Medium Peppers
1 lb. of Hamburger
1 1/2 Cups Cooked Wild Rice
1 (chopped) Onion
1 Can Tomato Sauce
1/2 Cup Diced Celery

Brown the meat and drain off the grease. Mix all the ingredients in a bowl, except the peppers.
Gut out the peppers, rinse until there are no seeds or stems. Stuff the mixure inside the peppers.
Place in a covered casserole dish (deep) with a tad of water on the bottom to prevent the bottoms from burning.
Bake at 350F for about 1 hour. Check on it, however and add more water during the hour if needed.
Makes: 4 Servings

3/4 Cup of Raisins
1/4 Cup of Honey
1/4 Cup of Maple Syrup
2 Beaten Eggs
1/2 Teaspoon Cinnamon
1/8 Teaspoon Nutmeg
1 Teaspoon Vanilla
Dash of Allspice
1/4 Teaspoon Salt
2 Cups of Cooked Wild Rice
2 Cups of Scalded Milk

Soak raisins in hot water until soft and then drain. Combine honey and maple syrup. Add beaten eggs and spices. Pour into baking dish and stir in scalded milk, wild rice and raisins. Bake at 350F for 1 hour or until inserted knife comes out clean.
Serve warm with cream.

1 Cup Washed (raw) Wild Rice
3 Cups Soup Stock
4 Egg Yolks Well Beaten
1 Tablespoon Minced Parsley
1 Tsp Salt

Cook the rice and stock together over hot water until all the liquid is absorbed and the rice is the consistency you desire. This is about 45 minutes. Combine the egg yolks, parsley and salt, and blend with the cooked rice. Cool, then chill thoroughly. Form into Croquettes and fry in deep hot fat for about 2 minutes or until browned. Drain on paper and serve immediately.
Makes: 6 Servings

Wild Rice Chicken & Cashew Casserole
4 to 5 Cups of Diced Cooked Chicken
1 Cup Chopped Celery
2 Tablespoons Butter
2 (10.75 oz) Cans Condensed Cream of Mushroom Soup
2 Cups Chicken Broth
1 (4.5 oz) Jar Sliced Mushrooms (drained)
1 Small Onion (Chopped)
1 Cup Uncooked Wild Rice (Cleaned, Rinsed and Drained)
1/4 Teaspoon Poultry Seasoning
3/4 Cups Cashew Pieces
Chopped Fresh Parsley

In a skillet, brown the chicken and celery in the butter. Then combine the soup and chicken broth until smooth. Add the mushrooms, onions, rice, poultry seasoning to this chicken mixture. Pour all of this into a greased 13x9x2 baking dish.

Cover and bake at 350F for 1 hour. Then uncover and bake for an additional 30 minutes. Stir. Then sprinkle with the cashews. Return this to the oven for an additional 15 minutes or until the rice is tender. Be sure the nuts don't burn! Garnish with parsley.

5 Cups of Cooked Wild Rice
1 Can (8 Oz) of Shad Roe
1/2 Cup Chopped Parsley
2 Tablespoons Butter
2 Tablespoons Flour
1 Cup Heavy Cream
1 Teaspoon Salt and Pinch of Pepper

Arrange the rice and shad roe in alternating layers in a casserole, sprinkling each layer of the roe with parsley. Prepare a white sauce with the butter, flour cream and seasons. Pour this over the contents of the casserole and bake at 350F for 20 minutes. Serves: 6

1 Cup Wild Rice (6 oz)
4 Cups Water
1 Cup Bread Crumbs (Plain or Seasoned)
1 Cup Raisins
1/2 Cup Chopped Walnuts
1/2 Cup Fresh Apple Chunks
1/2 Cup Melted Butter
1/4 Cup Orange Juice

Combine 1 cup of wild rice and 4 cups water. Cook the wild rice according to the basic recipe above. Then, mix the cooked wild rice with the other crumbs, raisins, walnuts, apple chunks. Combine the melted butter and orange juice and add this mixture to the other mixture and stir well. Place the stuffing in the bird to be cooked ---or--- bake in a covered casserole dish in a preheated oven 325F oven between 30-45 minutes.

Can be used to stuff 4 Cornish hens or one 8-10lb. turkey.
Double recipe for larger birds or for more dinner guests.

1 Cup of Wild Rice
2 1/2 Cups of Water
2 Teaspoons Butter
1 Clove of Garlic
1/4 Cup Minced Onions
6-8 Oz. Crab Meat
1 Egg
1/4 Cup Grated Parmesan Cheese
1 Teaspoon Parsley
24 Medium to Large Mushroom Caps
1/2 Cup Grated Cheddar Cheese

Combine the wild rice with the water and cook it according to the basic recipe above. In a saucepan, add butter and melt and then saute the garlic and onions until tender. Add the cooked wild rice and crab meat to the pan and stir until the mix is warmed through (but not really cooked yet). Add seasonings. Mix well. Stuff the mushroom caps loosely. Place on a greased baking dish and sprinkle with grated cheddar cheese (or any cheese you love).
Bake at 400F for 10 minutes.
Serves: 5-6
(We assume one person eats 2 mushroom each!)

1 Cup of Wild Rice (6 oz)
4 Cups of Water
1/2 Thinly Sliced green onion
1 Large Tomatoe that's been Peeled, Seeded and Diced.
1 Cup thinly sliced Celery
1/2 Lbs. Crabmeat (imitation or real)
(Or cooked Shrimp)
1/3 Cup of Mayonnaise
1/3 Cup Sour Cream
1/4 Cup Tomato Based Chili Sauce
1 Teaspoon Lemon Juice
1 Teaspoon Dijon Mustard
1 Hard Boiled Egg (sliced or diced) - OPTIONAL!

Combine the wild rice and water and cook it according to the basic method above. Then set it aside for a wee bit to cool.
Then mix into the wild rice, onion, tomato, celery, and seafood. Mix well and season to taste.
In a separate bowl, prepare the salad dressing as follows:

Blend together the mayonnaise, sour cream, chili sauce, lemon juice and mustard. You can mix this thoroughly through the salad or just pour it on the top of each serving. Garnish with a sliced or diced hardboiled egg.
Serves: 5-6

1/2 Cup Wild Rice (3 Oz)
3 Cups of Water
4 Boneless Fish Fillets - salt and peppered to taste
1/4 Cup finely chopped Celery
1/4 Cup chopped Onions
1 Teaspoon Butter
1/4 Cup Dry Bread Crumbs
1/2 Teaspoon Lemon Peel finely shredded
4 Teaspoons Lemon Juice
1 Teaspoon Parsley Flakes
1/4 Teaspoon Salt
1/4 Teaspoon Curry Powder
2 TableSpoons Butter
4 Lemon Slices
1 Teaspoon Parsley Flakes

Combine the wild rice with the water and cook according to the basic recipe above. Then set it aside.
Sprinkle the fillets with salt and pepper. Saute celery and onions in 1 teaspoon butter, then add in the bread crumbs, cooked wild rice, lemon peel, lemon juice, parsley flakes, salt, curry, and pepper. Mix it well. Wrap 1/4 of the stuffing inside and secure with toothpicks.

Place fillets in greased baking pan and brush with 1 tablespoon of butter on top. Bake uncovered for 20 minutes at 350F (or until the fish is done.) Remove from oven and brush with remaining butter and garnish with lemon slices and parsley flakes.
Serves: 4

1 Cup of Wild Rice (6 Oz)
4 Cups of Water
1 Garlic clove, peeled and cut
3 Tablespoons minced scallions
1 Cup of Cooked Peas
8-10 Cherry Stone Tomatoes, halfed
1 Jar (6-8 oz) of Marinated Artichoke Hearts,
halfed.
Note: Reserve the liquid from this Jar!
1/4 Cup Freshly Chopped Parsley
1/2 Teaspoon Sugar
1 Tablespoon Sherry

Combine the wild rice with the 4 cups of water and cook it according to the basic recipe above. Then let it cool.

Rub a large wooden salad bowl with the cut garlic then throw the garlic away. Toss in the cooled wild rice, scallions, peas, tomato halves, artichoke halves and parsley. Salt and Pepper to taste.

To Prepare the Dressing:
Combine sugar, sherry and the liquid from the artichoke jar that you were suppose to save remember? ;) Stir it well. And then pour over the salad and toss.

Wild Rice Fruit Salad
1/2 Cup of Wild Rice (3 Oz.)
2 1/2 Cups of Water
1 Cup of Celery
8 Oz. of Pineapple
8 Oz. of Mandarin Oranges
1/2 Cup of Green Seedless Grapes
1/2 Cup Slivered Almonds
2 Cups of Chickpeas (or Garbanzo Beans) - Optional
2 Cups of cooked meat such as chicken, turkey, or ham - Optional
(Salad dressing of your choice)

Combine the rice with the water and cook it according to the basic recipe above. Then set it aside and let it cool.

Combine the cooled wild rice with all the other ingredients and mix it all together with your favorite salad dressing. Serve it all on lettuce cups or a bed of shredded lettuce.
Serves: 6-7

Wild Rice with Pork Chops
1 Cup Wild Rice (Cooked)
6 Pork Chops (Thick ones)
1 Cup Diced Celery
1 Onion Sliced and Diced
2 Cans of Golden Cream of Mushroom Soup
1 Cup Mushrooms
3 Tablespoons Butter

Prepare wild rice as described in our basic cooking method
Brown Pork Chops. Saute the onions, mushrooms and celery in butter over low heat until onions are clear. Mix the rice, onions, soup, celery, mushrooms in greased baking dish. Place the chops on top. Cover the dish. Bake at 350F for 40 minutes. Then take the top off and continue baking for 20 more minutes.

Combine the ground beef with the eggs, wild rice, celery, onion, mushrooms, salt and pepper, mixing well.
Pat this into a 9x3x5 loaf pan.
Bake at 350F for 1 hour.

Make cheese sauce about 10 minutes before loaf is done cooking. You can either pour over roast or have the cheese sauce put on per serving on the plate.

. Wild Rice Breakfast Scramble
1 Cup of Wild Rice (cooked according to basic instructions)
1/3 Cup chopped green Onion
1/4 Cup chopped Celery
2 Tablespoons Butter
8 Eggs
1/2 Cup of Milk
4 Slices of American Cheese
Salt and Pepper as desired.

Saute the green onions and celery in the butter until tender.
Beat the eggs and milk, then add the cooked wild rice.
Pour this into a frying pan and scramble over medium heat until soft set. Season with salt and pepper as desired.
Lay the cheese slices on top until they melt.

Paul Harvey's Wild Rice Soup

1/2 Cup Uncooked Wild Rice
2 Cups of Water
2 Tablespoons Butter
1 Medium Onion, Minced
1 Quart Milk
2 Cans of "Cream of Potato Soup"
1 Lb. of Velveeta Cheese
10 Strips of Bacon (Fried Crips and Crumbled)

Cook the wild rice according to the basic instructions.
Saute the onion in butter until tender. Then add,
the water, milk and potato soup. Increase the heat to medium, stirring occasionally. When the mixture is hot, then add the cheese. Do this by cutting it into chunks to help speed the melting.
When this is creamy, add the cooked wild rice.

To make this very creamy:
Add 2 Tablespoons cooked wild rice for each serving to any cream of chicken, turkey, mushroom or celery soup.

There are 3 types of White Sauce: Thin, Medium and Thick.
Basically a white sauce is just flour, butter and cream or milk.
The ratio varies = the thickness.
It's all based on 1 Cup of Cream or Milk.
It's just that the flour and butter ratios change as shown below:

Source Information: (1) A couple of pamphlets that came with some wild rice I bought a few years ago.
(2) "The Encyclopedia of Cookery" © 1948
Wm. H. Wise & Co, Inc.




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