Monday, April 26, 2010

Wild Rice with Caramelized Onions and Dried Cranberries

I am not much of a side dish person.  I'd much rather make a one-dish meal.  Like a chicken and vegetable stir-fry served over brown rice, or some ground beef with tomatoes, onions, and peppers served over pasta.  That kind of thing.   But every once in a while I'll make a "proper" meal with a piece of meat and some sides.

This is a side dish that I modified from a package of Craisins many years ago. I've thought about buying lots of packages of cranberries around Thanksgiving when they're cheap, and drying them myself.  Maybe I will do that later this year.

I love the sweetness of the caramelized onions, but I'm not always patient enough to wait until they're done.  If I cook them for less time, it's just not as sweet, and thus not as delicious.  If you don't have wild rice, you could just double the amount of brown rice - this would make the recipe less expensive.  I haven't tried it yet, but I suspect that this recipe would be even better with dried cherries. 

Wild Rice with Caramelized Onions and Dried Cranberries

2 cups vegetable broth
1/2 cup uncooked brown rice
1/2 cup uncooked wild rice
3 tbsp. margarine
3 medium onions, sliced
2 tsp. brown sugar
1 cup dried cranberries

Combine vegetable broth and both rices in a medium saucepan.  Bring to a boil, then reduce to low heat.  Cover and simmer 45 minutes, or until liquid is absorbed and rice is tender.  Meanwhile, melt margine in a medium skillet over medium-high heat.  Add onions and brown sugar.  Cook 6-7 minutes or until the liquid is absorbed.  Reduce heat to low and continue to cook onions, stirring often, for 25 minutes or until onions are a caramel color.  Stir in dried cranberries, then cover and cook cook over low heat for 10 minutes or until cranberries swell.  Fold cranberry/onion mixture into cooked rice. 

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11 comments:

Chats the Comfy Cook April 26, 2010 at 8:53 PM  

This is definitely one for my family. It is rice with class. I think you are right about dried cherries or even dried apricots, which I happen to have. I have to try one of them soon. The color is stunning from the cranraisins.

JessieLeigh April 27, 2010 at 6:53 AM  

This sounds delicious! I adore carmelized onions... it's amazing to me what that prolonged cooking time does to the simple onion. :)

Laurie April 27, 2010 at 6:07 PM  

A great use of superfood rice, brown and wild. Yummy, thanks for sharing.
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Aubree Cherie @ Living Free Blog April 28, 2010 at 11:21 AM  

Ooo, i love dried cranberries and have been adding them to recipes like they're going out of style. They bring such a natural sweet flavor - I especially like them in savory dishes. This sounds tasty!!

~Aubree Cherie

Inspired2cook April 29, 2010 at 11:12 AM  

This sounds like a perfect side dish for holiday dinners! Yumm!
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Jen April 29, 2010 at 2:43 PM  

I love using cranberries in things. This is one I'm definatly going to try!! Thank you for sharing.

April J Harris November 18, 2010 at 5:10 AM  

This sounds delicious. Wild rice always makes such a nice change from ordinary rice and the cranberries would be lovely in it.

Lynn January 18, 2011 at 8:14 PM  

Mmm, this one sounds tasty. Cranberries are such a nice surprise in a dish like this.

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