Wild Rice And Mushroom Casserole - cooking recipe

Ingredients

Rice
2/3 cup wild rice
2 cups cold water
3/4 teaspoon salt
Vegetables
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
4 cups mushrooms, sliced thick
1 medium onion, diced
3 -4 celery ribs, diced
1 tablespoon dried thyme
1 tablespoon dried parsley or 1 tablespoon savory
1 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
Sauce
2 tablespoons flour
2 tablespoons butter
2 cups skim milk
1/4 cup sherry wine
1 tablespoon dried rosemary
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
Topping
1 1/2 cups dried breadcrumbs
1 tablespoon butter, softened
2 tablespoons hemp seeds
2 tablespoons French-fried onions

Preparation

Rice: Wash wild rice thoroughly and discard rinse water. In a heavy saucepan with a tight-fitting lid, combine rice, water and salt. Cover, bring to full boil, then immediately reduce heat. Check during cooking to ensure there is enough water to prevent scorching. Simmer for 45 to 60 minutes or until most of the kernels burst, but are still fairly chewy. This will make about 3 cups of cooked wild rice.
Vegetables: In a medium pan, heat olive oil and butter until melted together. Add mushrooms, onions and celery and cook on medium heat until they tender. Add spices and mix all together.
Sauce: In a medium saucepan, melt butter, then add flour, stirring to make a roux. Cook this for a minute or two to help eliminate any floury taste. Add milk gradually and stir well. Keep stirring until the sauce thickens. Add the sherry and seasonings. Cook a few minutes longer until the sauce is thick and creamy.
Topping: In a medium bowl, mix together breadcrumbs and butter.
Assemble: Mix together the rice, vegetables and sauce and put into a 8\" x 13\" baking pan or similar sized casserole dish. Top with breadcrumb mixture. Sprinkle hemp seeds and French-fried onions over top.
Cook: Bake at 350 for 30 minutes until the sauce is bubbly and the crumb topping is slightly browned.