Best Southern Pecan And Wild Rice Dressing Recipes

CRANBERRY-PECAN WILD RICE STUFFING

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and butter a 2-quart baking dish. Heat the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and celery and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft but not brown, about 10 minutes. Add the thyme and a pinch each of salt and pepper and cook for 1 minute more. Remove from the heat and transfer to a large bowl.
• Add the rice, parsley, pecans, cranberries and apricots to the onion mixture and toss well. Season with salt and pepper. Evenly spread in the prepared baking dish and bake until heated through, about 30 minutes. Sprinkle the top with parsley.

CAJUN RICE DRESSING

Steps:

• Mix all ingredients and pour into a large casserole dish or disposable foil pan about 12x10. Cover tightly with aluminum foil.
• Place in preheated oven at 400F for one hour or until rice is tender and completely cooked.

WILD RICE STUFFING WITH APPLES, PECANS AND CRANBERRIES

Steps:

• Combine the wild rice with 4 1/2 cups stock or water in one saucepan and the brown rice with 1 1/2 cups stock or water in another smaller saucepan. Add salt to taste and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat, cover and simmer the brown rice for 35 to 40 minutes, until the rice is tender and all of the liquid has been absorbed. Turn off the heat, place a clean kitchen towel over the pot and return the lid. Let sit for 10 to 15 minutes. Simmer the wild rice for 40 to 50 minutes, until the grains have begun to splay. Drain through a strainer if there is liquid in the pot, and return to the pot. Place a clean kitchen towel over the pot and return the lid. Let sit for 10 to 15 minutes.
• While the grains are cooking, prepare the remaining ingredients. Heat the oil over medium heat in a large, heavy skillet and add the onion. Cook, stirring often, until the onion begins to soften, about 3 minutes. Add the celery and a generous pinch of salt, and continue to cook until the onion is completely tender, another 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook, stirring, until it is fragrant, another 30 to 60 seconds. Remove from the heat and transfer to a large bowl. Add the cooked grains and stir together.
• Return the skillet to the stove and heat over medium-high heat. Add the butter, and when the foam subsides add the apples. Cook, stirring or tossing in the pan, until lightly colored, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and add to the bowl with the grains. Add the remaining ingredients and stir together. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer to a lightly oiled or buttered baking dish and cover with foil.
• Warm the stuffing in a 325-degree oven for 20 to 30 minutes before serving.

SOUTHERN RICE PILAF STUFFING WITH HAM, PECANS AND GREENS

Steps:

• Bring 3 cups broth and bay leaf to boil in medium saucepan. Mix in wild rice; reduce heat to low, cover and cook 30 minutes. Mix in white rice. Cover; cook until both are tender and liquid is absorbed, about 20 minutes more. Transfer rice to large bowl. Discard bay leaf.
• Melt butter in heavy large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add ham, onions and celery and sauté until onions are tender, about 10 minutes. Add collard greens and marjoram and sauté until greens wilt, about 3 minutes. Add mixture to rice. Mix in cubed stuffing, pecans and nutmeg. Season to taste with salt and pepper. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate.) Mix eggs into stuffing.
• To bake stuffing in turkey: Fill main turkey cavity with stuffing. Mix enough chicken broth into remaining stuffing to moisten (about 1/2 to 3/4 cup broth, depending on amount of remaining stuffing). Spoon remaining stuffing into buttered baking dish. Cover with buttered aluminum foil. Bake stuffing in dish alongside turkey until heated through, about 30 minutes.
• To bake all stuffing in pan: Preheat oven to 375°F. Butter 13x9x2-inch baking dish. Mix 1 1/2 cups broth into stuffing. Transfer to prepared dish. Cover with buttered foil and bake until heated through, about 30 minutes.

WILD AND BROWN RICE DRESSING WITH APPLES, PECANS AND CRANBERRIES

Steps:

• In a large saucepan, simmer the wild rice in 4 1/2 cups broth, salt to taste, until the grains start to break open; drain off any liquid, return to the pot and stretch a clean kitchen towel beneath the lid and let sit 10 to 15 minutes.
• Meanwhile, in a smaller saucepan, simmer the brown rice, with 1 1/2 cups broth, salt, until tender and all the liquid has been absorbed, 35 to 40 minutes; turn off heat and stretch a clean kitchen towel under the lid and let sit 10 to 15 minutes.
• In a large skillet, heat oil, over medium heat, and cook the onion, stirring often, until it begins to soften, about 3 minutes.
• Add celery and a generous pinch of salt, and continue cooking another 3 or 4 minutes; stir in garlic, if using, and cook 30 seconds.
• Remove from heat and transfer to a large bowl; add rices and toss well.
• Increase the heat in the skillet to medium high and add the butter; when the foaming subsides, add apple, stirring until they begin to caramelize, about 5 minutes.
• Remove from heat and add to the rice mixture; add remaining ingredients, toss and season to taste with salt and pepper.
• Preheat oven to 325 degrees F; grease a large baking dish with butter or oil.
• Transfer rice mixture to baking dish, cover with aluminum foil, and warm in oven for 20 to 30 minutes.
• NOTE: The rices can be cooked up to 3 days in advance. The entire dish is better the second day, so you can make it a day ahead and heat the day you are serving it.