BROWN AND WILD RICE WITH SAUSAGE AND FENNEL

Brown and Wild Rice with Sausage and Fennel image

Yield 2 Main-course or 6 side-dish servings

Number Of Ingredients 11

2 cups water
1/2 cup wild rice
8 ounces sweet Italian sausage, casings removed
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 12-ounce fennel bulb, trimmed, diced
1 large red bell pepper, diced
1/4 teaspoon chopped fennel seeds
2 large leeks (white and pale green parts only), chopped
3 large garlic cloves, minced
1 1/3 cups long-grain brown rice
2 14 1/2-ounce cans low-salt chicken broth

Steps:

Simmer water and wild rice in small saucepan 20 minutes. Drain.
Heat heavy large saucepan over medium-high heat. Fry sausage until cooked through, breaking up sausage with fork, about 4 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer sausage to large bowl.
Add 2 tablespoons oil to same saucepan. Mix in fennel, bell pepper and fennel seeds and sauté until tender, about 10 minutes. Add to sausage. Heat remaining 1 tablespoon oil in same saucepan. Add leeks and garlic and sauté until tender and golden, about 8 minutes. Add brown rice and stir 1 minute. Mix in broth and wild rice. Season with pepper. Bring to boil. Reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer until rice is tender and liquid is absorbed, about 40 minutes. Add hot rice to sausage mixture and toss well. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and chill.) Serve hot.