Serves 8 – 10

Ingredients

• 1 ½ Tbsp. Olive oil
• 3 large celery stalks, finely chopped
• 1 cup finely chopped onion
• 1 cup chopped button mushrooms
• 1 cup diced butternut squash
• 1 garlic clove, thinly sliced
• 1 ½ cups wild rice
• 2 cups low-salt chicken or vegetable broth
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 tsp kosher salt, plus more
• ½ cup (2 oz.) pecans
• Freshly ground black pepper
• ½ cup fresh cranberries, sliced
• 1 ½ cups thinly sliced small celery stalks (from celery heart)
• ½ cup celery leaves from celery heart, coarsely chopped

Directions

Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat.  Add chopped celery, onion, mushrooms and squash.  Cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and onion is almost translucent, about 8 minutes.  Stir in garlic: cook, stirring often, until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add wild rice, stir for 1 minute.  Add broth, bay leaf, 1 tsp. salt, and 1 ½ cups water; increase heat and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer for 30 minutes.  Uncover, stir, and continue cooking, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until liquid is absorbed and rice is tender, 20-40 minutes.
Meanwhile, preheat oven to 325 degrees, spread pecans on a baking sheet and toast until fragrant, 5-7 minutes. Coarsely chop.
Remove and discard bay leaf from wild rice mixture, add salt and pepper, to taste.
Stir in pecans, sliced cranberries and sliced celery.
Garnish with celery leaves