Wild Rice and Mushroom Stuffing

Serves 26 (as a side dish)

Ingredients

• 1 cup wild rice (6 ounces), rinsed
• 3 ¾ cups water
• 1 cup dried cranberries or raisins
• 4 tablespoons butter or margarine
• 3 medium carrots, peeled and cut into ¼-inch pieces
• 2 stalks celery, cut into ¼-inch pieces
• 1 medium onion, cut into ¼-inch pieces
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon dried thyme
• ¼ teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
• 8 ounces shiitake mushrooms, stems discarded, caps sliced
• 10 ounces white mushrooms, trimmed and sliced
• 2 cups long-grain brown rice
• 1 can (14 to 14½ ounces) chicken broth, or 1¾ cups homemade chicken broth

Directions

Active time: 45 minutes
Total time: 1 hour 5 minutes

Preheat oven to 325°F.

In 2-quart saucepan, heat wild rice and 2 cups water to boiling over high heat. Reduce heat to low; cover and simmer until wild rice is tender, 35 to 40 minutes. Stir in cranberries; heat 1 minute. Drain if necessary.

Meanwhile, in nonstick 5- to 6-quart Dutch oven, melt 2 tablespoons butter over medium heat. Add carrots, celery, and onion and cook until ten-der and golden, 12 to 15 minutes. Stir in salt, thyme, and pepper and cook 1 minute; transfer to medium bowl.

In same Dutch oven, melt remaining 2 tablespoons butter over medium heat. Add shiitake and white mushrooms, and cook until tender and golden and liquid evaporates, about 12 minutes; transfer to bowl with vegetables.

In same Dutch oven, heat brown rice, broth, and remaining 1 ¾ cups water to boiling over high heat. Reduce heat to low; cover and simmer until tender, 18 to 20 minutes. Stir wild-rice and vegetable mixtures into rice. Spoon stuffing into 13" by 9" glass baking dish or shallow ½-quart casserole. Cover with foil and bake until heated through, about 20 minutes.

From The Good Housekeeping Test Kitchen Cookbook (Hearst) by The Editors of Good Housekeeping.