I made this recipe as listed the first time just for my family of four. Whoops. This makes a pretty large pan. I think it serves about 12. So, lesson learned there. If I am making it for just us, I will cut this in half. A few leftovers are good, but I think we ate this for two days that first time. On the other hand though, when I take this to family events, I usually at least double what’s listed below, depending on how many people we are expecting. It’s always a huge crowd favorite. Check out what they are saying about this recipe over at The Pioneer Woman:
“You will love this casserole, my friends. It’s beautiful, it’s tasty…and it really is a cinch to make.”
This is a favorite in our house… heck even the dog likes it!
Ingredients
2 cups Uncooked Wild Rice
10 cups Low-sodium Swanson Chicken Broth, More If Needed For Thinning
3 heads Broccoli, Cut Into Small Florets
1 pound White Button Or Crimini Mushrooms, Finely Chopped
1/2 cup (1 Stick) Butter
1 whole Medium Onion, Finely Diced
2 whole Carrots, Peeled And Finely Diced
2 stalks Celery, Finely Diced
4 Tablespoons Gold Medal All-purpose Flour
1/2 cup Heavy Cream
1 teaspoon Salt, More To Taste
1 teaspoon Black Pepper
1 cup Panko Breadcrumbs
Instructions
Add the wild rice into a medium saucepan with 5 cups of the chicken broth. Bring it to a boil over medium high heat, then reduce the heat to low and cover the pan. Cook the rice until it has just started to break open and is slightly tender, about 35 to 40 minutes Set it aside.
Meanwhile, blanch the broccoli by throwing the florets into boiling water for 1½ to 2 minutes, until bright green and still slightly crisp. Immediately drain the broccoli and plunge it into a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking process. Remove it from the ice water and set it aside.
Heat a large pot over medium-high heat, then melt 6 tablespoons of the butter. Add the onions and the mushrooms and cook, stirring them occasionally, for 3 to 4 minutes, or until the liquid begins to evaporate. Add the carrots and celery and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, until the vegetables are soft and the mixture begins to turn darker in color.
Sprinkle the flour on the vegetables and stir to incorporate it, then cook for about a minute. Pour in the remaining 5 cups of broth and stir to combine. Bring the mixture to a gentle boil and allow it to thicken, about 3 minutes. Pour in the heavy cream, stirring to combine. Let the mixture cook until it thickens. Season with the salt and pepper, then taste and adjust the seasonings as needed.
Add half the cooked rice to the bottom of a 2-quart baking dish, then lay on half the broccoli. (You can do one layer of each or two layers of each. Using a ladle, scoop out the vegetable/broth mixture and spoon it evenly all over the top. Continue with the rest of the sauce, totally covering the surface with vegetables.
Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter, then pour it into a separate bowl with the panko breadcrumbs. Toss the mixture together to coat the breadcrumbs in butter, then sprinkle the breadcrumbs all over the top.
Cover with foil and bake the casserole for 20 minutes, then remove the foil and continue baking for 15 minutes or until golden brown on top. Sprinkle on the parsley after you remove it from the oven.
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Quick Tip: Make sure you spray your pan to prevent the rice from sticking.
Thanks again to The Pioneer Woman for this simple and hearty recipe.
