Sausage and Wild Rice Hotdish
Servings: 8 to 10
Hotdish:
1 cup (180 grams) wild rice, rinsed well
1 bay leaf
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided
8 ounces (226 grams) sweet Italian sausage, removed from the casings
2 medium leeks, white and light green parts, halved and thinly sliced
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided, plus more as needed
1 medium bunch kale (about 10 ounces/283 grams), stemmed and coarsely chopped
2 tablespoons (28 grams) unsalted butter
2 tablespoons (16 grams) all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups (360 grams) heavy cream
1 cup (240 grams) low-sodium chicken stock
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
4 ounces (113 grams) fontina cheese, shredded (about 1 cup)
1/4 cup (40 grams) grated Parmesan
1 sleeve salted butter crackers, processed into breadcrumbs
2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf Italian parsley, for garnish
Arugula Salad:
2 teaspoons olive oil
2 teaspoons lemon juice
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 cups arugula
For the hotdish: Into a medium saucepan, add the rice and cover with 2 1/2 cups of water. Add the bay leaf and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce to a simmer and cook over low heat, covered, until the rice is cooked through but still has a little bite, 30 to 35 minutes. Drain off excess water, discard the bay leaf and set aside.
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add the sausage. Using a wooden spoon, break up the sausage into smaller pieces and cook until browned, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the leeks to the skillet and cook until just softened, 2 to 3 minutes. Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil if the pan is dry. Add the kale (or as much as will fit) and toss to coat in the oil.
Season with 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Allow the kale to cook down enough to add the remaining kale and continue to cook until wilted but still bright green, 4 to 5 minutes. Remove the sausage mixture to a large bowl.
Add the butter into the pan to melt. Add the flour and stir to make a paste. Cook for 1 minute, then gradually whisk in the cream, whisking to thicken before adding more. Gradually add the chicken stock and season with nutmeg and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt. Bring to a gentle boil to thicken, about 1 minute. Stir in the wild rice and kale-sausage mixture. Sprinkle the fontina and Parmesan cheeses evenly over top. Mix the cracker crumbs with the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil and sprinkle all over the cheese to cover.
Bake in the oven until nicely browned and bubbly around the edges, 18 to 20 minutes. (Note: depending on the variety of wild rice, you may need to cook longer.) Set aside to cool slightly for 10 minutes.
For the arugula salad: In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Add the arugula and toss in the dressing until coated.
Garnish the hotdish with a sprinkling of fresh parsley and serve with a simple arugula salad on the side. Leftover gratin will keep in a covered container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
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