WILD RICE WITH WATERCRESS AND HAZELNUTS

Wild Rice with Watercress and Hazelnuts image

Provided by Nick Nutting

Yield 8 servings

Number Of Ingredients 12

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2 cups wild rice
1 bay leaf
Kosher salt
1/3 cup skin-on hazelnuts
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 large onion, thinly sliced
6 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1/4 cup sherry vinegar or red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon pure maple syrup
1 tablespoon whole grain Dijon mustard
Freshly ground black pepper
2 cups trimmed watercress, upland cress, or micro cress

Steps:

Cook rice and bay leaf in a large pot of boiling salted water until some grains have burst and rice is tender, 45-55 minutes. Drain thoroughly and spread out rice on a rimmed baking sheet to cool; discard bay leaf.
Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350°F. Toast hazelnuts on a rimmed baking sheet, tossing halfway through, until slightly darkened and fragrant, 8-10 minutes. Let cool, then rub hazelnuts in a clean kitchen towel to remove some of the skins. Gently crush nuts by pressing under the flat side of a chef's knife; set aside.
Heat butter in a large skillet over medium-low. Cook onion and garlic, stirring often, until onion is golden, 15-20 minutes. Remove from heat.
Whisk vinegar, maple syrup, and mustard in a large bowl until smooth. Scrape in onion mixture and cooled rice and toss to coat; season with salt and pepper. Fold in nearly all of the hazelnuts and cress, then transfer to a platter. Top with remaining hazelnuts and cress.
Do Ahead
Rice can be cooked 2 days ahead. Let cool; cover and chill. Rice mixture (without hazelnuts and cress) can be made 3 hours ahead; store airtight at room temperature.