This time of year is all about gathering, no matter what your celebration looks like. Most soirees are centered around food, family and/or friends. At some point during this season, your host may ask that you bring a dish to pass, a prerequisite for attending most holiday get-togethers. We’ve investigated many potential offerings and landed on this delectable wild rice dressing. We carry a variety of wild rice options at both the Friendship and Franklin stores, but one of our favorites is from the P6 producer Native Harvest.

The Native Harvest product line was founded by legendary Anishinaabe activist and author Winona LaDuke and is produced by White Earth Land Recovery Project (WELRP). Native Harvest was created as part of an effort to preserve indigenous traditions and knowledge, including the protection of native seeds and heritage crops, as well as naturally grown/raised fruits, wild plants, and animals. WELRP also seeks to preserve and restore traditional practices of sound land stewardship, language fluency, and community development. Native Harvest’s Mahnomin, or wild rice, grows naturally in the lakes and rivers of Northern Minnesota and is hand harvested and wood parched by tribal members using traditional methods. The wild rice dressing below is not only delicious, but it is also so beautiful it will turn heads as you walk in to your next gathering.

Kale and Wild Rice Casserole

Ingredients

2 large bunches of Kale, leaves torn

1 lb. cremini mushrooms, sliced

2 Tbsp. olive oil

1 Tbsp. butter

2 cloves garlic, minced or grated

2 Tbsp. fresh thyme, chopped

¼ teaspoon nutmeg

¼ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon pepper

4 Tbsp. flour

1 cup milk (recommend 2%)

1 cup chicken broth (or vegetable broth)

¼ cup heavy cream or canned coconut milk

4 cups cooked wild rice

1 ½ cups gruyere cheese, shredded

2 Tbsp. olive oil

2 large sweet onions, sliced into thin rings

Salt and pepper

Instructions
Grease a 2–3 quart casserole dish. Set aside.

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and add all of the torn kale to the skillet with one cup of water, then cover. Wilt the kale in the skillet for 10–15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Once the kale is wilted and all of the water has been absorbed, remove the kale from the skillet and set aside.

Reduce the heat to medium and add two tablespoons of olive oil. Sprinkle the mushrooms into the skillet in a single layer, and let them sizzle until they have caramelized on the bottom. After approximately two minutes, toss them once and season to taste with salt and pepper. Continue to cook without stirring for about five minutes.

Add the butter to the skillet and cook until the butter begins to brown. Reduce the heat to medium-low and add the garlic, thyme and nutmeg and cook for about 10 seconds.

Add the kale back to the skillet with the mushrooms, garlic and spices and toss well.

Sprinkle the flour over the kale and mushrooms and cook for one minute. Add the milk and broth, bring to a boil, and cook two–three minutes or until there is a thick sauce. Add the cream and stir to combine. Remove from the heat and stir in the cooked wild rice. Pour the mixture into the prepared casserole dish.

Preheat the oven to 375 F.

Increase the temperature to medium-high heat and add onions and ¼teaspoon each salt and pepper. Cook mixture while stirring constantly, until the onions begin to soften and turn golden brown for about 20 minutes.

Sprinkle half the cheese over the casserole and then add the onions and the remaining cheese.

Bake the casserole for 20–25 minutes or until the cheese is melted and the onions are crispy.

Recipe adapted from “Half Baked Harvest”