Wild Rice Vegetable Pancakes
Crunchy, earthy-tasting wild rice cakes satisfy a comfort-food-loving part of the soul. They're easy to make and can be kept at room temperature for hours before serving. Try them with Braised Red Cabbage, or as an appetizer, with a light Asian soy-vinegar dipping sauce.
INGREDIENTS | SERVES 6–8
- 4 ounces wild rice
- 1 cup julienne carrots (see “Mandolin: Prep Cooks' Secret Weapon” below)
- 1 cup julienne celery
- 1 cup julienne white onion
- 3 scallions, chopped
- 2 eggs
- ½ cup flour
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- Olive oil for frying
Boil the wild rice in 2 quarts of lightly salted water until very tender and most grains have burst open, about 40 minutes. Drain, reserving liquid, and cool the rice by spreading it on a platter or pan.
Toss the rice with the carrots, celery, onion, scallions, egg, and flour. Season with salt and pepper. Moisten with a few drips of rice-cooking liquid to help the mixture adhere to itself.
Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a nonstick skillet over medium heat until a piece of onion sizzles when added, about 2 minutes. Place quarter-cup mounds of rice mixture into the pan; shape them into rough-hewn pancakes.
Cook without moving them until they brown on the first side and are visibly cooked around the edges, about 5 minutes. Flip the pancakes with a spatula, and cook until lightly browned. Drain. Serve.
Mandolin: Prep Cooks' Secret Weapon
A slim metal or plastic board with a plane-like blade, known as a mandolin, makes cutting delicate julienne strips and paper-thin slices into child's play. Available in fine houseware stores, kitchen supply shops, and department stores like Macy's, these once-rare tools have become widely available and much simpler than they used to be. I recommend compact, inexpensive Japanese models, like the Benriner, which usually sell for about $25, and slips into a knife drawer easily.
