A Holiday Recipe from Executive Chef Danielle Ott

Happy holidays from everyone at FareStart! We have the privilege of sharing delicious recipes created and prepared from our chefs. The recipe below is from Chef Danielle, who became FareStart’s first female Executive Chef.

This time of the season always seems to be busy in the kitchen. Whether we were creating new, delicious dishes to be enjoyed by FareStart Restaurant guests pre-COVID, or putting together recipes and packaging them for meals during 2020 and 2021, I love that FareStart is constantly creating meals for our community.

The recipe I want to share is a special meal we have made for meal recipients at over 100 sites, including Downtown Emergency Services Center, Plymouth Housing, YMCA and King County COVID-19 isolation and recovery sites. Together, we're providing hunger relief and social services in the Seattle area and across the country to ensure that our most vulnerable neighbors are safe and supported throughout the crisis.

This recipe is a great side dish, or it can be used as a main meal for the upcoming holiday season. It’s incredibly versatile and can be altered to meet all your guests’ dietary needs. It’s also a great way to use up leftovers from your holiday dinner. 
 

Ingredients

Wild Rice

• 1 cup uncooked wild rice blend
• 1 ¾ cups water
• 1 tbsp olive oil

Roasted Vegetables

• 12 oz brussels sprouts, halved or quartered (depending on size)
• 12 oz butternut squash, diced (any winter squash or sweet potatoes can be substituted)
• 12 oz carrots and parsnips mix (or any root vegetables preferred)
• 1 tbsp Herbs de Provence (or a mix of sage, rosemary, thyme)
• 1 - 2 tbsp olive oil
• Salt, to taste

Protein

• 2 ¼ cups cooked turkey, diced
• *Vegetarian/vegan substitutions: 2 ¼ cups seasoned & backed tofu cubes or cooked tempeh (I love marinating my tofu or tempeh in the below dressing for 1 – 24 hours before baking to give extra flavor to the dish)

Maple Balsamic Dressing

• ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
• ¼ cup balsamic vinegar
• 2 tbsp maple syrup
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard
• Salt and pepper, to taste

Additional Toppings

• ½ cup pepitas, toasted (pumpkin seeds)
• ½ cup dried cranberries (or fresh pomegranate seeds)

Yield: 4 - 6 as a main entrée or 8 - 10 as a side dish 

Method

For the Wild Rice 

• Rinse the rice until the water runs clear. Combine rice with 1 ¾ cup water, 1 tbsp of oil in a pot and bring to a boil. Cover with a tight-fitting lid. Reduce heat to maintain a low simmer and cook for 45 minutes. Remove from heat and keep covered. Steam for 10 min. Fluff with a fork, transfer to a large bowl to cool. 

For the Vegetables

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Toss all vegetables in olive oil, dried herbs and salt to taste. Roast for 35-40 minutes or until cooked through and there is some color on the vegetables. Stir vegetables halfway through cooking. Cool before combining with wild rice. 

For the Dressing

• Combine all ingredients in a mason jar and shake vigorously until combined. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed. 
• Once all ingredients have cooled, combine with dressing and toppings as desired. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed. 

This dish is great served room temperate or hot. If you prefer it hot, combine all ingredients while it is still warm and serve immediately.