Core Recipe Servings | 12 Preparation Time | 12 min Cooking Time | 55 min Level of Difficulty | Easy
side dishes | Hardly traditional, this hearty side dish could be a meal on its own, alongside a cup of soup or a light green salad. Use pure wild rice, not a blend of wild and brown rice.
5 cup vegetable broth 3/4 cup uncooked wild rice 1 cup uncooked barley, pearl-variety (do not use quick-cooking) 1 medium shallot(s), chopped 1 tsp table salt 1/2 tsp dried thyme 1/2 tsp dried sage 1/2 tsp black pepper, freshly ground 10 oz asparagus, pencil-thin spears, cut into 2-inch segments Instructions
1. Bring the broth and rice to a simmer in a large saucepan; cover, reduce the heat to low, and simmer for 20 minutes.
2. Stir in the barley, shallot, salt, thyme, sage and pepper. Cover and continue simmering over low heat for 25 minutes.
3. Stir in the asparagus, cover, reduce the heat even further and simmer slowly for 5 minutes. Set aside off the heat, covered, for 10 minutes before fluffing with a fork. Yields about 1/2 cup per serving.
-- Edited by Colette at 14:10, 2006-09-19
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