Wild Rice With French Green Lentils

Total Time: 1 hr 30 mins Preparation Time: 1 hr 30 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 6
• 4 1/4 cups water, divided
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, divided
• 1 cup wild rice (about 6 ounces)
• 2 whole cloves
• 1/2 onion, chopped
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 medium carrot, chopped
• 1 celery, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, chopped
• 4 ounces pancetta, cut into 1/4-inch cubes
• 1/2 cup dry green lentils
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped

Recipe

• 1 bring 2-1/2 cups water and 1 tsp salt to boil in medium saucepan.
• 2 add rice and bring to boil.
• 3 reduce heat, cover and simmer until rice is just tender, about 45 minutes.
• 4 drain.
• 5 return rice to pan.
• 6 heat oil in large saucepan over medium heat.
• 7 add cloves, onion, carrot, celery and garlic; saute until beginning to brown, about 10 minutes.
• 8 add pancetta and saute until crisp, about 5 minutes.
• 9 add lentils; stir 1 minute.
• 10 add 1-3/4 cups water, 1/2 tsp salt, and bay leaf; bring to boil.
• 11 reduce heat, cover and simmer until lentils are tender, about 35 minutes.
• 12 remove from heat (some liquid may remain in pan).
• 13 discard cloves and bay leaf.
• 14 stir rice into lentil mixture (can be made 1 day ahead, cover and chill).
• 15 simmer rice-lentil mixture uncovered over medium heat until heated through and liquid is absorbed, about 6 minutes (if made the day ahead of time, you may need to add more water or chicken stock).
• 16 stir in parsley.
• 17 season to taste with salt and pepper.
• 18 note: leftovers can be made into soup for the next day.
• 19 just add some chicken stock, milk or cream to the rice-lentil mixture.