Instructions: TITLE:
*Wild Rice with Spinach, Brussels Sprouts, Cipolline Onions, and Herb Infused Caramelized Onion Broth. Another grain, or pasta, could be substituted for the wild rice. Serve as vegetarian entree or with chicken breast or fish.

NOTE: We used vegetable cooking spray instead of butter. We added cold butter to the broth just before serving; whisking in the cold butter thickened the sauce just enough to lightly coat the vegetables and make them glisten.

*Rinse 4 to 6 pieces of dried porcini mushroom. Soak them in almost 2 cups hot water for 1 to 4 hrs. Strain the soaking water and reserve.

IN A LARGE SAUCEPAN, saute the julienned onions in 4 tablespoons of the butter or lowfat cooking spray over medium heat for about 30 to 40 minutes, or until caramelized. Add a little of mushroom broth to prevent burning. Add the water (or combined water and mushroom broth) and simmer for 45 minutes. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve and return to a medium saucepan. Simmer until you have 3 cups broth. Season to taste with salt and pepper. (2 hrs)

WRAP the fresh herbs in a small piece of cheesecloth and secure to create a sachet. Place in the hot onion broth and simmer for 1 or more minutes until the broth is scented and tasty. Remove the sachet and discard.

Place the roasted cipolline and the Brussels in a small bowl and season with salt and pepper; reheat if necessary.

Place the remaining tablespoon butter and the shallot in a medium saute pan and sweat until translucent. Add spinach and continue to cook for 3 to 4 minutes or until wilted. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Warm the wild rice with 1/4 cup of the onion broth and adjust salt and pepper.

ASSEMBLY: Place wild rice in large shallow bowl; spread it out. Place the spinach leaves at four points, meeting in center of plate. Arrange sprouts and cipolline onion around and spoon some of the caramelized onion broth on top of the vegetables until it resembles a chunky soup.

pantry:
*Wehani: A spectacular aromatic mahogany long grain with a savory musky nut-like flavor with great versatility and the ability to carry nearly any flavor profile well. Excellent in stuffings, salads, side

over: roast onion at 325F for 30 to 40 minutes, depending upon their size.

You can peel before or after roasting. Do score each onion with a small

"x" at both ends before roasting. Set aside to cool. Roughly chop.

NOTES : Essence and Extracts. Thats how I see Trotters cuisine. I added

(dried porcini) mushroom to his onion broth. Four types of onions are used: Spanish, chives, cipolline, shallot. Instead of wild rice, we served with a mixture of white basmati and California Red Wehani.* A special meal with subtlety. We planned for this meal by making extra rice; the broth was made ahead and clarified the next

I tried it and used spray oils whenever possible except a smidgen of unsalted butter/margarine when it mattered for taste.... A special meal...

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