Wild rice is expensive, but is special and perfect for holidays like Thanksgiving or Chanukkah.  Wild rice is not a grain like other rices, but a seed.  Go figure!  Just like buckwheat is not a grain, but a fruit….  Wild rice kernels are unpolished (so you get every drop of nutrient this seed provides), and the flavor is nutty with a nice chewy texture.  Wild rice gives us copper, fiber, folate, magnesium, niacin, phosphorus, vitamin B6 and zinc!

I heard Dr. Green of the Dr. Green’s Rx website speak at Natural Products Expo East and he said, “Potatoes are consistently on the list of most pesticide-contaminated vegetables. In recent USDA testing, the Environmental Working Group found 81% of potatoes still contained pesticides after being washed and peeled, and the average potato had the highest total amount of pesticides of all of the 43 fruits and vegetables tested.”  Of course you can find organically-grown potatoes in our store…. If we can’t get purple potatoes, feel free to substitute russets here.

Serves 4

1 cup water, boiling	1  tsp sea salt
1/3 cup wild rice	1  tsp black pepper
1 ½ pounds organic purple potatoes	2 free-range eggs
2 tb EVOO or macadamia nut oil	Additional oil for frying
1 medium organic onion, chopped fine

Put wild rice into boiling water.  Cover pot and simmer for an hour.  Drain if any water remains, but drink liquid, or save for soups, don’t pour down the drain.  In the meantime, steam unpeeled potatoes until easily pierced by a knife.  Do same with this liquid.  Mash potatoes with a fork in a medium bowl.   Add rice.

Place 2 tb oil in a medium pan and sauté onion until soft.  To bowl with rice and potato, add cooked onion, salt, pepper, and eggs.  Mix lightly with fork.  Don’t smush with spoon.  In same sauté pan, add just enough oil to cover the bottom.  Over medium heat, warm oil and then spoon large tablespoons of the potato mixture into the hot pan.  Allow to ‘fry’ for four minutes on one side.  Flip.  Repeat on second side.  Serve hot, warm or at room temperature.  (Yes, you can cook a day ahead and reheat on serving platter in a 350 degree oven for 10 minutes and bring to table.)

Can you bake these wild rice and potato cakes?  I like to pat potato mixture into a couple of well-oiled pie plates, brush generously with oil, bake until lightly browned around the edges.  Cut into wedges, just like for pie, and serve.   Serving for Chanukah?  Bring on applesauce or sour cream