75. WILD RICE with HERBS and APPLEWOOD-SMOKED BACON

Serves eight as a side dish


6 slices applewood-smoked bacon, cut crosswise into thin strips
1 cup finely diced red onion
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 cups wild rice, rinsed well under cold water and drained
2 1/2 cups water
2 cups chicken or vegetable broth
1 small bay leaf
1/2 teaspoon salt, or more to taste
1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley
1 tablespoon minced fresh rosemary
1 tablespoon minced fresh thyme
freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1/2 cup roasted pine nuts

Cook bacon in a large saucepan with a lid, uncovered, over moderate heat, stirring, until crisp; remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Stir in the onion and garlic and cook, stirring, over moderate heat until golden, about 5 minutes.

Add wild rice, water, broth, bay leaf, and salt. Cover and bring to a boil over moderate heat. Uncover and boil gently without stirring, 45-60 minutes, depending on desired degree of doneness. Drain, add herbs, season well with freshly ground black pepper, and set over lowest possible heat. Dry out for 5 minutes, shaking the pan. Stir in the bacon and pine nuts, and discard the bay leaf. Serve hot.


courtesy of: The Dean & DeLuca Cookbook by David Rosengarten with Joel Dean and Giorgio DeLuca. New York: Random House, 1996, p. 252.