Recipe: Avis Hatheway’s wild rice dressing

Avis Hatheway’s wild rice dressing

Total time: 1 1/2 hours

Servings: 10 to 12

Note: Shared by Avis’ son, Ron.

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1/2 pound wild rice

Salt

1 bay leaf

2 tablespoons butter, divided

1 onion, diced into 1/4-inch pieces

1 cup diced celery, cut into 1/4-inch pieces (from about 2 ribs)

Freshly ground black pepper

1 pound button mushrooms, sliced

1/3 cup dry white wine

1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage, or to taste

1/2 teaspoon (1 clove) finely chopped garlic

2 to 3 cans (10¾ ounces) cream of mushroom soup

1. Heat the oven to 375 degrees.

2. Rinse the rice well, then boil rice, according to directions, in salted water with the bay leaf until the rice just begins to “pop,� about 40 to 50 minutes. Do not overcook. Drain any excess water and place the rice in a large bowl.

3. In a large saute pan heated over medium-high heat, melt 1 tablespoon butter. Cook the onion and celery just until the onion is translucent, 6 to 8 minutes. Remove from heat and season with one-fourth teaspoon salt and several grinds of pepper. Toss the onions and celery with the rice and set aside.

4. Heat the same saute pan over high heat. Melt the remaining tablespoon butter, then add the mushrooms. Saute the mushrooms, stirring frequently, until cooked through and lightly browned, about 6 minutes. Stir in the wine and cook, scraping any flavoring from the base of the pan. Continue to cook, stirring frequently, until the wine is absorbed by the mushrooms or evaporates, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from heat and toss the mushrooms with the rice mixture.

5. Stir in the sage and garlic with the rice, mixing well, then stir in 2 cans of the cream of mushroom soup. Add additional soup, if desired, for a more moist dressing (we used 21/2 cans).

6. Place the dressing in a 13-by-9-inch baking dish or casserole and bake until bubbly and lightly toasted on top, about 30 minutes. Cool slightly, then toss the dressing to fluff it before serving.

Each of 12 servings: 165 calories; 5 grams protein; 23 grams carbohydrates; 2 grams fiber; 6 grams fat; 2 grams saturated fat; 5 mg cholesterol; 3 grams sugar; 419 mg sodium.