Lobster Casserole, Herbed Wild Rice and Green Salad

Ingredients

• 1 cup Wild Rice Blend (A blend of wild and brown rice works well)
• 2 tbsp Unsalted Butter (Can be substituted with olive oil for a vegan option)
• 1 medium Yellow Onion (Finely chopped)
• 2 stalks Celery (Finely chopped)
• 8 oz Cremini Mushrooms (Cleaned and sliced)
• 2 cloves Garlic (Minced)
• 2.5 cup Vegetable Broth (Low-sodium recommended)
• 0.75 tsp Salt (Adjust to taste)
• 0.5 tsp Black Pepper (Freshly ground)
• 3 tbsp Fresh Parsley (Chopped)
• 1 tsp Fresh Thyme (Leaves only, chopped)
• 1 tsp Fresh Sage (Finely chopped)
• 0.5 cup Pecans (Toasted and roughly chopped)

Instructions

1. 1

   Prepare the rice and pecans. Place the wild rice blend in a fine-mesh sieve and rinse under cold running water until the water runs clear. Drain thoroughly. In a small, dry skillet over medium heat, toast the pecans for 3-5 minutes, stirring frequently, until fragrant. Remove from heat and set aside.

2. 2

   Sauté the aromatics. In a medium pot or Dutch oven with a tight-fitting lid, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and celery and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5-7 minutes.

3. 3

   Cook the mushrooms. Add the sliced mushrooms to the pot, increase the heat to medium-high, and cook until they release their moisture and begin to brown, about 6-8 minutes. Stir in the minced garlic and cook for another minute until fragrant.

4. 4

   Toast the rice and add liquid. Add the rinsed and drained wild rice blend to the pot. Stir constantly for 1-2 minutes to toast the grains. Pour in the vegetable broth, salt, and black pepper. Stir to combine and bring the mixture to a rolling boil.

5. 5

   Simmer the rice. Once boiling, immediately reduce the heat to the lowest setting, cover the pot tightly, and let it simmer for 45-50 minutes. Do not lift the lid during this time, as the trapped steam is essential for cooking the rice.

6. 6

   Rest and finish. Remove the pot from the heat and let it stand, still covered, for 10 minutes. Uncover, fluff the rice gently with a fork, and fold in the chopped fresh parsley, thyme, sage, and toasted pecans. Serve warm.

Ingredients

• 2 pcs cucumber (medium, peeled and diced into 1/4-inch pieces)
• 3 pcs tomato (medium, deseeded and diced into 1/4-inch pieces)
• 1 pcs red onion (medium, finely diced)
• 0.25 cup parsley (fresh, finely chopped)
• 3 tbsp olive oil (extra virgin)
• 2 tbsp lemon juice (freshly squeezed)
• 0.5 tsp sugar (optional, to balance acidity)
• 0.25 tsp salt
• 0.25 tsp black pepper (freshly ground)

Instructions

1. 1

   Prepare the vegetables

   • Wash the cucumber, tomatoes, and red onion thoroughly.
   • Peel the cucumbers and dice them into small, uniform 1/4-inch pieces.
   • Cut the tomatoes in half, remove the seeds, and dice them to a similar size as the cucumber.
   • Finely dice the red onion. For a milder flavor, you can soak the diced onion in cold water for 10 minutes, then drain well.
   • Place all the chopped vegetables in a large mixing bowl and add the fresh parsley.
2. 2

   Make the vinaigrette

   • In a small bowl or jar, combine the olive oil, fresh lemon juice, optional sugar, salt, and freshly ground black pepper.
   • Whisk vigorously or shake the jar until the dressing is well combined and slightly emulsified.
3. 3

   Combine and serve

   • Just before serving, pour the prepared vinaigrette over the chopped vegetables.
   • Gently toss everything together until the vegetables are evenly coated.