Mahnomin Porridge from Hell’s Kitchen

At first, wild rice sounded a bit odd to me in a breakfast dish, but I decided  to try it (as I am a bit odd myself). If you want to start your day with a different grain, this is a great choice.

Minnesota company Moose Lake Wild Rice notes that the aquatic plant was known as “manomin” to the Chippewa/Ojibwe. According to www.nativewildricecoalition.com, wild rice – unrelated to rice – has been important to tribal communities for thousands of years. The United States’ wild rice crop is grown primarily in California and Minnesota.

This recipe is from Mitch Omer’s cookbook Damn Good Food: 157 recipes from Hell’s Kitchen. I used it as a rough guide. You can change the dried fruits and nuts according to your preferences.  I cooked the rice, then added the syrup and about 2 cups of a mixture of milk and fat-free “half-and-half.” I also added a little caramel-flavored coffee creamer. I didn’t want the nuts in the leftovers to get soggy so I didn’t add them. Then it went in the fridge. Our house guest and I ate it cold, with more milk or “cream,” dried blueberries and cranberries, pistachios or pecans, a little more syrup and toasted coconut. Yum. I’ll eat it warm in colder months.

Mahnomin Porridge from Hell’s Kitchen

4 cups cooked wild rice

1⁄4 cup pure maple syrup (plus more for serving)

1⁄4 cup dried blueberries

1⁄4 cup dried cranberries

1⁄2 cup roasted cracked hazelnuts or other nuts

1 cup heavy cream (plus more, warmed, for serving)

In a heavy nonstick pot or sauté pan, add the cooked wild rice, heavy cream and maple syrup, and warm through. Add the blueberries, craisins and hazelnuts, and stir to mix well. Serve in a bowl with sides of warm heavy cream and maple syrup