Wild Rice & Sausage Dressing Recipe
In anticipation of gathering with friends and family, Thanksgiving menu planning starts early in our house. We are big fans of turkey “dressing” (almost more than the turkey itself) and are always looking to mix things up with our recipes. Over the years, my wife and I have agreed and disagreed about what goes into a great stuffing, but together I think we’ve developed a crowd pleaser!
Pairs well with Stagecoach Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon
Ingredients
2 c. wild rice
5 c. chicken broth
3 Italian sausages
2 Tbsp. butter
2 Tbsp. olive oil
2 celery ribs
2 leeks (using only the tender, white portion)
½ c. diced shallot
1 lb. wild mushrooms (we love a mix of chanterelles, maitake and pioppino. Any brown mushroom will work well).
2 Tbsp. fresh sage chopped
2 Tbsp. fresh thyme chopped
¾ c. dried cranberries
¼ c. Armagnac or brandy
¾ c. toasted almond slivers
Directions
Soak the dried cranberries in Armagnac or brandy for roughly 30 minutes while you prepare the rest of the dish.
Bring the chicken broth to a boil. Add wild rice and simmer on low for approximately one hour or until rice is tender, but toothsome.
Chop leeks and celery. Melt 1 Tbsp. butter and sauté over medium heat for 5 minutes. Add shallots and cook until tender and translucent. Remove from pan and set aside. Use same pan for next step.
Clean wild mushrooms from any dirt. Slice or rough chop. Melt 1 Tbsp. butter and 1 Tbsp. olive oil in pan. Add mushrooms and cook until golden-brown. Add to celery and leek mixture. Set aside. Use same pan for next step.
Remove sausage from casing. Add 1 Tbsp. of olive oil to pan. Crumble sausage and sauté over medium-high heat until browned. Drain cranberries set aside, reserve liquid. Use liquid to deglaze the sausage pan, cooking until all the brown bits mix well with the meat. Set aside.
When the rice is done cooking, drain from liquid and place into a medium-large casserole dish. Add all ingredients including chopped herbs and salt and freshly ground pepper to taste. Mix well and cover with tinfoil.
Bake at 375˚ for 30 minutes. Can also be used to stuff the bird.