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Peasants Cachupa (Cachupa Pobre) Vegan

Makes about 1.5 gallons

Cachupa is the quintessential Cape Verdean dish. While there are countless variations, almost all Cachupas have hominy, beans, and potatoes. Some add yucca. Any assortment of vegetables and legumes can be added, depending on availability. For those who can afford it, dried and smoked Portuguese sausages are also added for tremendous “stick to your bones” flavor. Fish, such as tuna and wahoo, is a little more attainable for the average citizen. Our version is vegan and more affordable.

More in the mood for breakfast? Leftover Cachupa will suit you too. In fact, refried cachupa (cachupa rafogado) is often served with fried eggs. Nothing like sight, smell, and sound of sizzling eggs in the morning…

Tradition vs. our version:

Traditionally and typically, the hominy is pounded prior to cooking, however our version leaves the kernel whole for texture. Even still, the entire stew infuses with the soft corn-like flavor of this addictive grain. If you’ve never tried hominy, run out now and buy some! Add it to any stew for wonderful, slightly chewy texture. Trust me. It will change your life.

While Cape Verdeans add whatever vegetables they have on hand into this stew, most pictures appear to show a fairly small pieces (except for when sausage is added). Our version contains large “meaty” chunks of vegetables to give our vegan stew substance.

Our photos were taken immediately after cooking. This stew is definitely best served the next day, when everything thickens and the flavors meld.

Ingredients:

vegetable or red palm oil
3 cups hominy (29 oz can)
1.5 cups prepared great northern beans (15 oz can)
2 onions, chopped
3 tomatoes, chopped
5 cloves garlic, sliced
1 tsp paprika
1 savoy cabbage, shredded
3 white potatoes, cubed
1 small acorn squash, peeled and cubed
water, to cover

Method:

Assemble your ingredients. I’m warning you. It will look like you robbed a farm stand.

In pot that holds at least six quarts, heat up oil over medium heat. Add onion…

and garlic…

and saute until soft. Then add paprika, which will give the stew a lovely rusty hue.

Pile on the potatoes…

… acorn squash…

…hominy…

…great northern beans…

…shredded savoy cabbage…

…and chopped tomatoes. Phew things are getting really tight. Don’t worry, once the cabbage cooks down, you’ll have a few inches to spare.

Add water to cover. Bring pot to a simmer, stirring the ingredients together every once in a while.

Cook for about 1 1/2 – 2 hours, or until all the ingredients are tender. In my version the acorn squash all but disintegrates, becoming thick body for the stew.

Serve with a big smile and hunk of bread.

Peasants Cachupa (Cachupa Pobre) Vegan
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Cachupa is the quintessential Cape Verdean dish. While there are countless variations, almost all Cachupas have hominy, beans, and potatoes. Some add yucca. Any assortment of vegetables and legumes can be added, depending on availability. For those who can afford it, dried and smoked Portuguese sausages are also added for tremendous “stick to your bones” flavor. Fish, such as tuna and wahoo, is a little more attainable for the average citizen. Our version is vegan and more affordable.
Servings
1.5 gallons
Servings
1.5 gallons
Peasants Cachupa (Cachupa Pobre) Vegan
Votes: 1
Rating: 5
You:
Rate this recipe!
Print Recipe
Cachupa is the quintessential Cape Verdean dish. While there are countless variations, almost all Cachupas have hominy, beans, and potatoes. Some add yucca. Any assortment of vegetables and legumes can be added, depending on availability. For those who can afford it, dried and smoked Portuguese sausages are also added for tremendous “stick to your bones” flavor. Fish, such as tuna and wahoo, is a little more attainable for the average citizen. Our version is vegan and more affordable.
Servings
1.5 gallons
Servings
1.5 gallons
Ingredients
  • vegetable oil (or substitute red palm oil)
  • 3 cups hominy (29 oz can)
  • 15 oz canned great northern beans (1.5 cups), drained and rinsed
  • 2 onions , chopped
  • 3 tomatoes , chopped
  • 5 cloves garlic , sliced
  • 1 tsp paprika
  • 1 savoy cabbage , shredded
  • 1 small acorn squash , peeled and cubed
  • water (to cover)
Servings: gallons
Units:
Instructions
  1. In a pot that holds at least six quarts, heat up oil over medium heat and add onion and garlic then saute until soft.
  2. Add paprika, potatoes, acorn squash, hominy, great northern beans, shredded savoy cabbage and chopped tomatoes.
  3. Add water to cover and bring pot to a simmer, stirring ingredients together once in a while. Cook for about 1 1/2 — 2 hours, or until all the ingredients are tender.
  4. Serve with bread.

Menu: Cape Verde

Thanks to Cape Verde, I’m in a summery mood. I even flipped the calendar to September a few dates late in honor of their beach-kissed islands. This menu has something for everyone – a healthy traditional stew, a quirky, indulgent dip, a slurp-able children’s drink, and a purely irresistible, decadent milkshake (although I have a feeling Mr. Picky will love it best). Enjoy!

Peasant’s Cachupa (vegan) [Recipe]
Hearty stew made with hominy, great northern beans, potato, acorn squash, cabbage, and more. For those who desire more protein, fish or meat can be added for a Cachupa Rica.

Creamy Avocado and Date Dip/Spread [Recipe]
Smooth blend of avocado with minced dates. Best served with prawns, shrimp or as a sandwich spread.

Coconut Milk Chiller [Recipe]
Rich coconut milk thinned with regular milk and a dash of cinnamon.

Cape Verdean Coconut Milkshake [Recipe]
Inspired by the popular chiller, I made a decadent treat from vanilla ice cream, coconut milk, milk, and cinnamon stick swirlers.

About Cape Verdean Food

The magic of Cape Verdean food lies in its history. This cluster of ten tiny islands and 5 islets dotted off the west coast of Africa has only been inhabited since the 15th century, when Portuguese sailors stumbled upon them. Since that time, the inhabitants have developed a cuisine steeped in both African and Portuguese traditions.

On any given day, fishermen can be found amidst the sea spray, casting their nets and lines in the shadow of volcanoes. They bring home prawn, shrimp, albacore, wahoo, grouper, and dorado. A brave few travel further from the coasts in hopes of bringing back a tiger shark, known to attack humans almost as often as Great White sharks. We made a wonderful spicy prawn recipe for our Angolan Global Table that is also eaten by Cape Verdeans. For a light lunch, this prawn dish could be served over a traditional Cape Verdean avocado and date salad (or dip).

Photo Courtesy of FH Mira

Cape Verde’s national dish is called Cachupa (recipe), a hodge-podge stew that includes whatever vegetables and beans the cook has on hand. Hominy, pumpkin, squash, white potato, and sweet potatoes are often included. In some communities, neighbors even cook with a common pot, sharing what little produce they have with each other. While some cooks include fish or meat, this is a luxury afforded mainly to the rich (“rica”) or reserved for special occasions. When meat is added, it is usually smoked and dried sausage, after the Portuguese tradition.

Praia, the capital. Photo Courtesy of Dave Trainer

Incredibly, over half the 476,000 people live on one island, named Santiago. While agriculture is difficult due to water shortages, the people still produce bananas, corn, beans, and sweet potatoes.

Coconut is beloved by many and is found in desserts and drinks throughout Cape Verde. Coconut candies, made with caramelized sugar and fruit – like mango, papaya, and pineapple – are addictive and popular. Milk from the coconut makes a delightful beverage – children particularly love drinking it mixed with some regular milk and a sprinkle of cinnamon (recipe). I also think it makes a lovely milkshake (recipe).

Monday Meal Review: Canada

I poured the thick, grade A dark amber maple syrup into the pot and reluctantly added a cup of water to thin it out. Even still, the liquid was viscous, sluggish, sweet. Perfect for simmering dough until tender.

I clicked on the range and watched as the syrup shimmered, swirled, and eventually bubbled up. Time to make the doughnuts.

I mean… grandpères.

One by one, I dropped small, sticky balls of dough into the simmering syrup and watched them dunk, then bob back up to the surface.

“Are they ready yet?”

Keith was breathing down my neck. A moment later his nose was an inch from the molten hot tub of sugary goodness.

“You’ll get burned,” I warned, slapping his fork away.

“What’s with you and forks for dessert, anyway?” I muttered.

He laughed.

You see, almost every time we eat dessert he uses a fork. And every time I ask him why.

He also wears his socks inside out.

The man is a mystery.

Canadian Dijon and Maple Grilled Chicken [Recipe]


What I liked most about this dish:

This tender, grilled chicken is sweet, savory, and easy. The longer you marinate the chicken breasts (overnight is ideal), the better the maple flavor soaks into the chicken breasts, tinting them light brown. What better that coming home, after a hard day’s work, and pulling out the marinated breasts and throwing them on the grill. Dinner in fifteen – can’t be beat!

What I liked least about this dish:

Watch the grill so that you don’t undercook or dry out your chicken. I’m not above cutting into a piece, just to be sure. Revenge of the chicken is not pleasant, nor is a dry, stringy mess.

Butter-roasted Tomatoes [Recipe]


What I liked most about this dish:

A pint of farm-fresh tomatoes – a few bucks.  Keith calling tomatoes “Pretty Good” – priceless!

I’ve tried to tell Keith that the limp, pale tomato slices found on burgers across America are not what real, in-season tomatoes are like.

This week, thanks to this recipe, I think he finally believed me.

Ideal to pair with a dry dish – such as the wild rice – because the sweet juices keep your palate moist and awake.

What I liked least about this dish:

I made a pint of tomatoes which was just enough for two. I enjoyed them so much, I could have eaten the entire pint by myself.

Canadian Wild Rice [Recipe]


What I liked most about this dish:

This dish is a breeze to make. I’ve had wild rice blends, but never authentic Canadian Lake Wild Rice –  I enjoyed the little pops  chewiness of the rice. Also, I love how the macro shots of the rice came out. My husband’s getting pretty nifty with the camera.

What I liked least about this dish:

I wish I could have paddled along a Canadian lake and harvested the rice myself. The process looks very serene – if you haven’t seen it, I posted a video on Saturday of this)!

Grandpa’s Maple Dumplings (Grandpères) [Recipe]


What I liked most about this dish:

We simmer dumplings in broth, in oil – to make doughnuts – but never, ever had I heard of something so incredible – simmering dough in maple syrup. I’m actually in mourning for all the years this recipe was not in my life. Just think how many times I could have had grandpères instead of hot fudge sundaes… or ladled several grandpères into a big bowl of icecream  to make a Canadian Ice Cream Sunday.

What I liked least about this dish:

Do you hear that? Hmm. Must have been crickets.

Ok, seriously – here’s an important tip: don’t overcook or boil these too hard – they’ll get dense and tough. A low simmer is ideal.

Ava’s Corner

Sleepy baby! And notice her Canadian themed bib 😀

Grandpa’s Maple Dumplings | Grandpères

Serves 4

Hot, sweet, syrupy Grandpères served with two scoops of cold vanilla ice cream. Genius. And we have generations of Canadians to thank for keeping this age-old recipe alive. You can eat this for breakfast or dessert. Or a midnight snack.

Ingredients:

For the dumplings:

2 – 2 1/4 cups flour
1 Tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp cinnamon
pinch of salt
3 Tbsp butter
3/4 cup whole milk

For the cooking liquid:

2 cups maple syrup
1 1/2 cups water

Method:

In a large bowl, mix together flour…

… start with two cups and add more if you need to.

Stir in the baking powder…

A scoop of cinnamon (or Sin as my mom likes to call it)

Whisk together with a pinch of salt. Can you see Keith?

Now add some buttery goodness. Cut it into the flour with a pastry cutter. Stop when the butter is pea-sized.

Next comes the milk.

Mix it together until it forms a loose mass, like wet bread dough.

Add water to a pot… make it a wide one. You’ll see why in a few pictures.

Don’t forget the maple syrup. Use the best quality you can afford. No imitation syrup, please… at least for our Canadian Global Table.

Bring to a simmer. I wish this was a hot tub. Yum.

Drop in the dough..

one at a time…

Whoops. Getting crowded in here.

This definitely isn’t going to work. Time to pour molten syrup and dough into a wider pot.

Presto… chango! Ahhh… much better.

Simmer gently for about 20 minutes.

You can eat these plain, swimming in the cooking liquid.

Yum!

Or with a scoop of vanilla ice cream

Or two!

You better eat quickly though… before it melts away!

Grandpa’s Maple Dumplings | Grandpères
Votes: 1
Rating: 5
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Hot, sweet, syrupy Grandpères served with two scoops of cold vanilla ice cream. Genius. And we have generations of Canadians to thank for keeping this age-old recipe alive. You can eat this for breakfast or dessert. Or a midnight snack.
Servings Prep Time
4 people 10 minutes
Cook Time
20 minutes
Servings Prep Time
4 people 10 minutes
Cook Time
20 minutes
Grandpa’s Maple Dumplings | Grandpères
Votes: 1
Rating: 5
You:
Rate this recipe!
Print Recipe
Hot, sweet, syrupy Grandpères served with two scoops of cold vanilla ice cream. Genius. And we have generations of Canadians to thank for keeping this age-old recipe alive. You can eat this for breakfast or dessert. Or a midnight snack.
Servings Prep Time
4 people 10 minutes
Cook Time
20 minutes
Servings Prep Time
4 people 10 minutes
Cook Time
20 minutes
Ingredients
For the dumplings:
  • 2 -2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 Tbsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
  • pinch salt
  • 3 Tbsp butter
  • 3/4 cup milk
For the cooking liquid:
  • 2 cups maple syrup
  • 1 1/2 cups warm water
Servings: people
Units:
Instructions
  1. In a large bowl mix together flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt.
  2. Cut butter into the flour with a pastry cutter until pea-sized.
  3. Add milk and mix until it forms a loose mass, like a wet bread dough.
To cook
  1. Add water and maple syrup to a pot. Bring to a simmer.
  2. Add balls of dough and simmer until cooked through - about 20 minutes
  3. Serve hot - plain, with the cooking liquid, and/or over vanilla ice cream.

Canadian Dijon & Maple Grilled Chicken

Serves 6

If you’re looking for a quick and easy marinade, forget the supermarket bottles, loaded up with high fructose corn syrup and chemicals. Our sweet, natural glaze is made with dijon mustard, crushed garlic and rich maple syrup.

Special thanks to Kevin from Toronto whose recipe Maple Dijon Grilled Chicken inspired our version. If you haven’t already checked out his blog “Closet Cooking,” you are in for a treat. This guy is an inspiring cook and photographer.

Ingredients:

6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/2 cup maple syrup
1/3 cup Dijon mustard
2 garlic cloves, crushed

Method:

For the marinade:

1. In a small bowl, mix together mustard…


… maple syrup…


… and crushed garlic.


I love how the mustard seeds give the marinade a little texture.


Pour over the chicken and marinade for a few hours (overnight is best).

Turn once to ensure even coverage of the chicken.


To Grill:

Preheat a clean, oiled grill to high.

Lay on the chicken and let cook a few minutes per side, or until done.


The maple syrup gives the chicken an ooey gooey caramelized crust. Inside? As juicy as can be!


This is an insanely easy weeknight dish that also works well on an indoor grill.

Canadian Dijon & Maple Grilled Chicken
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If you’re looking for a quick and easy marinade, forget the supermarket bottles, loaded up with high fructose corn syrup and chemicals. Our sweet, natural glaze is made with dijon mustard, crushed garlic and rich maple syrup.
Servings
6 people
Servings
6 people
Canadian Dijon & Maple Grilled Chicken
Votes: 0
Rating: 0
You:
Rate this recipe!
Print Recipe
If you’re looking for a quick and easy marinade, forget the supermarket bottles, loaded up with high fructose corn syrup and chemicals. Our sweet, natural glaze is made with dijon mustard, crushed garlic and rich maple syrup.
Servings
6 people
Servings
6 people
Ingredients
  • 6 chicken breasts (boneless and skinless)
  • 1/2 cup maple syrup
  • 1/3 cup Dijon mustard
  • 2 cloves garlic , crushed
Servings: people
Units:
Instructions
For the marinade
  1. In a small bowl, mix together mustard, maple syrup, and crushed garlic.
  2. Pour over the chicken and marinade for a few hours (overnight is best).
  3. Turn once to ensure even coverage of chicken.
Grilling
  1. Preheat a clean, oiled grill to high. Lay on the chicken and let cook a few minutes per side, or until done.

Butter Roasted Tomatoes

Serves 2-3

Cherry tomatoes are sweet bursts of summertime. Their flavor deepens when roasted with creamy butter and fresh thyme – a juicy side dish that forgives even the driest chicken and wild rice, while bravely complimenting perfectly cooked meals as well.

If that isn’t enough reason to try this vegetarian recipe, these tomatoes actually made my picky husband exclaim “pretty good!” That’s quite the milestone considering the tomato is one of his major food nemeses. Like Batman’s Joker or Superman’s

Ingredients:

2 Tbsp butter (or olive oil)
1 pint tomatoes (grape, cherry, or other)
1-2 sprigs fresh thyme leaves

Method:

Run to your farmer’s market and pick up a basket of beautiful cherry tomatoes. Eat one or two. I won’t tell!

When you get home, preheat the oven to 375F

Melt some butter over low heat (or you can use olive oil for a vegan version of this dish)

Rinse tomatoes and place in a bowl

Bathe them in melted butter

Sprinkle with fresh thyme – pull the leaves off of 1-2 sprigs. Always pull against the direction of growth for easy leaf removal.

Sprinkle liberally with fresh sea salt, if you have it, and cracked pepper

Toss! If your tomatoes are cold, the butter will solidify on the tomatoes, coating them evenly with deliciousness.

Lay on a foil lined baking sheet. You’ll thank me later for the foil.

Roast for about 30-45 minutes, or until the tomatoes soften and ooze all over the place.

Happy, happy. Joy, joy.

Butter Roasted Tomatoes
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Cherry tomatoes are sweet bursts of summertime. Their flavor deepens when roasted with creamy butter and fresh thyme – a juicy side dish that forgives even the driest chicken and wild rice, while bravely complimenting perfectly cooked meals as well.
Servings Prep Time
2-3 people 5 minutes
Cook Time
30-45 minutes
Servings Prep Time
2-3 people 5 minutes
Cook Time
30-45 minutes
Butter Roasted Tomatoes
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Rating: 0
You:
Rate this recipe!
Print Recipe
Cherry tomatoes are sweet bursts of summertime. Their flavor deepens when roasted with creamy butter and fresh thyme – a juicy side dish that forgives even the driest chicken and wild rice, while bravely complimenting perfectly cooked meals as well.
Servings Prep Time
2-3 people 5 minutes
Cook Time
30-45 minutes
Servings Prep Time
2-3 people 5 minutes
Cook Time
30-45 minutes
Ingredients
  • 2 Tbsp butter (or olive oil)
  • 1 pint cherry tomatoes
  • 1-2 sprigs thyme
  • sea salt
  • pepper (cracked)
Servings: people
Units:
Instructions
  1. Preheat the oven to 375F.
  2. Combine the tomatoes with melted butter, torn thyme leaves, fresh sea salt, and cracked black pepper.
  3. Roast on foil for 30-45 minutes. Enjoy!

Treats from Canada (with poll)

Maple Syrup

To make 1/4 gallon (1 quart) of maple syrup requires an astonishing 10.5 gallons of tree sap. Traditionally a metal bucket was MacGyvered to a tree to extract the goods. Now a days, a tube connects all the trees into one happy, meandering mess of sap that flows directly into the sugarhouse, where it is finally boiled down into syrup.

Dulse

Dulse is an edible seaweed eaten in the Atlantic Canada. First it is harvested from the ocean waters, then dried out in the sunl. There are about 250 other varieties of seaweed growing wild on Canada’s shores, but most of them aren’t typically eaten.

Dulse, photo courtesy of Tiny Ian

Giveaway: Linda Bladholm, Two of Two

Thank you for all your responses on Facebook! We have a winner, chosen at random by random.org. Yay!! Here is the winning response:
Astrid Lague – I have a friend who is from Southern India, and I’d love to see where he is from and eat some authentic naan made in the tandoor and any other tandoor specialties. Not sure that is what’s around in Southern India… but Indian food is one of my absolute favorites!
Congratulations, Astrid!

No, we’re still not giving Linda away.

However, if I could take Linda with me on shopping excursions, I’d probably spend a lot less time scrunching my face up into a question mark while food shopping.

You see, as I cook food and recipes from around the world for my cooking challenge (to eat one meal from each country of the world),  I’m learning just how many ingredients I’ve never heard of. Not that I thought I “knew it all” before this A-Z Global Table Adventure, but still. It’s humbling.

For anyone following along who is interested in Indian cooking, today’s giveaway is a real treat.

Linda Bladholm does it again with her book The Indian Grocery Store Demystified.

Using her first hand experience of India and Bangladesh, Linda fills 258 pages with 17 one subject chapters on Indian cuisine, such as rice, dairy products, flours, pickles and chutneys. This is your culinary “tour guide” to Indian grocery stores, so be sure to keep this book in your glovebox for impromptu browsing sessions at your local shop.

Know what Amchoor is? Me neither. But Linda tells us. Here’s just part of the passage:

… this is powdered green, unripe mango. […] It is sold as light-brown, shriveled slices that looki like pieces of wood or as a dark tan, lumpy powder with a sweet, musky, raisin aroma. Both have a tart flavor and are used as a souring agent in dals, soups, vegetable dishes, chutneys, and pickles.

Awesome!

In addition, Linda concludes with a section of recipes and cooking methods/tools. If you’re serious about international cooking, this book will be a happy addition to your collection and well-worn in no time.

How to Enter to win:

Logon to our Facebook fan page and answer the question of the day. Contest ends at midnight (CMT) Sunday 9/5/10.  Winner will be announced on Monday. Must be a fan to enter. One response will be chosen at random as the sole winner.  The winner will be announced on Facebook and must contact me with shipping information to claim the prize.

Have fun and thank you for reading!

PS. Please also check out Linda’s new blog Food India Cook!

How to cook Canadian Wild Rice

On shopping day, I browsed the bulk bins, hoping against hope that I could find the real thing – Canadian Lake Wild Rice – here, in Tulsa, Oklahoma.  As I scanned past basmati, jasmine and wild rice blends, my eye caught something shiny and jet black. I didn’t even have to read the label to know I was in business. The long grains gave themselves away.

They look like a pile of runway models in sleek black dresses.

Canadian wild rice is all together a different plant than American wild rice.  In fact, the long, spindly needles are more related to wild grass than rice. Canadians have dubbed their special grain Canadian Lake Wild rice, a beautiful and apt description of the rice’s growing environment, where the grains billow above the waters.

Recipe (Serves 2-3)

Making Canadian Wild Rice is easier than almost any rice I can think of. Just remember my tips about hot dog buns and popcorn. Confused? You won’t be. Keep reading!

Ingredients:

1 cup wild rice (rinsed and checked for debris)
3 cups water
salt
1-2 sprigs of thyme

Method:

1. Add water to a large pot… you know, the fairies’ grapes.

2. Add salt to taste.

3. Bring the water to a boil, then add rice.

4. Add aromatics, if you have some.

This thyme sprig smelled so earthy, I felt like I was already at Thanksgiving dinner.

Simmer, covered, until done – about 45 minutes to an hour.

Drain off any extra water and remove the now faded thyme sprig.  The thyme is spent, but she served us well, as we now have a gently aromatic batch of Canadian Lake Wild Rice. Let sit for 10-15 minutes before fluffing with a fork and devouring. Yum.

Properly Cooked Wild Rice

How to know your wild rice is properly cooked:

First, the grain will crack open, revealing a somewhat ominous looking dagger. This is still underdone.

The rice will continue to split, looking somewhat like a hot dog bun. This is considered properly cooked, al dente (slightly chewy) wild rice.

If you continue cooking the rice past the hot dog bun stage, it will soften enough to curl up into a rolly polly ball.

This is called the popcorn stage – softer yet and anything more than a few of these is generally considered overcooked.  Perfect for baby Ava who still doesn’t have any side teeth.

Other than a little cooking time, there’s nothing to making Canadian Wild Rice! Try some, you’ll love the nutty rice flavor.

How to cook Canadian Wild Rice
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Canadian wild rice is all together a different plant than American wild rice. In fact, the long, spindly needles are more related to wild grass than rice. Canadians have dubbed their special grain Canadian Lake Wild rice, a beautiful and apt description of the rice’s growing environment, where the grains billow above the waters.
Servings
2-3 people
Servings
2-3 people
How to cook Canadian Wild Rice
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Rating: 0
You:
Rate this recipe!
Print Recipe
Canadian wild rice is all together a different plant than American wild rice. In fact, the long, spindly needles are more related to wild grass than rice. Canadians have dubbed their special grain Canadian Lake Wild rice, a beautiful and apt description of the rice’s growing environment, where the grains billow above the waters.
Servings
2-3 people
Servings
2-3 people
Ingredients
  • 1 cup wild rice (rinsed)
  • 3 cups water
  • salt
  • 1-2 sprigs thyme
Servings: people
Units:
Instructions
  1. Add water to a large pot and add salt to taste. Bring the water to a boil then add rice.
  2. Add aromatics and simmer, covered, until done. About 45 minutes to an hour.
  3. Drain off any exra water and remove the now faded thyme sprig. Let sit for 10-15 minutes before fluffing with a fork.
  4. Enjoy!

Menu: Canada

We chose our dessert in .001 seconds this week. What could possibly be better than dough simmered in maple syrup? I like to think of it as deep-frying, but in sugar instead of oil. While this dessert is decidedly sweet, our maple glazed chicken carries a more subtle sweetness, rounded out by garlic and mustard. The rest of the meal showcases farm fresh produce/grains of Canada.

Canadian Dijon & Maple Grilled Chicken [Recipe]
Chicken coated with a simple blend of maple syrup, Dijon mustard, and crushed garlic, then grilled.

Butter-roasted Tomatoes [Recipe]
Fresh tomatoes roasted with butter and fresh thyme until tender.

Canadian Wild Rice [Recipe]
Wild Rice seasoned with fresh thyme makes good use of this Canadian crop.

Grandpa’s Maple Dumplings (Grandpères) [Recipe]
Drops of soft dough boiled in hot maple syrup. Oh yeah.