Wild Rice with Brussels Sprouts and Pomegranate

Earthy, chewy, and nutritious wild rice is a versatile accompaniment to many other foods. It makes a savory bed for roasted chicken breast or grilled fish; a hearty cold salad mixed with dried fruits and nuts; or a warm side dish combined with cooked vegetables, as in this recipe. I also included toasted walnuts and pomegranate seeds for a little crunch and colorful pop. Just toss them into the mix at the end and serve.

Some grocery stores sell small containers of pomegranate seeds, but extracting your own from the actual fruit is worth a little effort (and a bit of splattering juice) to get the freshest pomegranate taste possible. One fruit will provide more seeds than you need for this dish, but the leftovers are great to add to garden or fruit salads, use as a crunchy topping for desserts, or even sprinkle on bowls of cereal.  

While there are various methods to pull those tasty, sweet-tart, red seeds from their pockets inside the fruit, I’ve found the easiest (and least messy) manner is simply to slice the fruit into about 2-inch chunks and gently roll out the seeds with your fingers. You may still have a red-speckled shirt and countertop, but keeping it gentle is key to less cleanup.

Pomegranate

Inside the Pomegranate

Remove the Seeds with Your Fingers

Pomegranate Seeds

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp olive oil, divided
• 3/4 cup wild rice
• 1 1/4 cups vegetable broth
• sea salt
• freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tbsp unsalted butter
• 8 oz Brussles sprouts, cut into 1/4-inch slices
• 2 medium shallots, thinly sliced
• 1 garlic clove, finely chopped
• 1/3 cup broken walnut pieces, toasted
• 1/4 cup pomegranate seeds

Brussels Sprouts, Shallots, and Garlic

Preparation

1. Heat a nonstick saucepan or small skillet over medium heat and add 1 tablespoon of oil. Add the wild rice and stir-fry 1 minute to incorporate. Add the broth and season with salt and pepper.
2. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and cook slowly until the broth is absorbed and the wild rice is slightly tender but still chewy, 40-45 minutes.

Wild Rice Stir-Fried in OIl

Wild Rice with Broth Added

Cooked Wild Rice

1. Meanwhile, heat a skillet over medium heat and add the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil and the butter. When the butter has melted, add the Brussels sprouts, shallot, and garlic and season with salt and pepper.
2. Cook, stirring frequently to keep the shallot and garlic from burning, until the sprouts are crisp-tender, 6-7 minutes. 

Sprout Mixture Beginning to Cook

Cooked Sprouts Mixture

To serve, place the wild rice in a serving bowl and stir in the sprout mixture, walnuts, and pomegranate seeds. Re-season with salt and pepper, if desired, and serve right away. (May also be served at room temperature.)