Mediterranean Rice

Ingredients

• 8 cups water
• 2 cups wild rice
• 2 tablespoons sesame oil, divided
• 1 sweet onion, coarsely chopped
• 1/2 cup raisins
• 2 teaspoons honey
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon salt, divided
• 3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 yellow squash, cut into thick sticks
• 4 small turnips, cut into sticks
• 2 carrots, cut into sticks
• 1 poblano pepper, minced
• 1/2 cup finely chopped cilantro
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

Directions

Bring water and wild rice to a boil in a saucepan. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until rice is tender, 30 to 45 minutes. Drain excess liquid, fluff rice with a fork, and cook uncovered 5 minutes more.

Heat 1 tablespoon sesame oil in a heavy skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat; cook and stir onion until lightly browned and tender, about 10 minutes. Add raisins, honey, cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper to onion; reduce heat to medium-low and cook until raisins are tender, about 4 minutes. Transfer mixture to a bowl and keep warm.

Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon sesame oil and olive oil in the same skillet over medium-high heat; add squash, turnips, and carrots. Cook and stir squash mixture until squash is just tender, 5 to 10 minutes. Reduce heat to medium; add poblano pepper, cilantro, cumin, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Cook and stir mixture until turnips and carrots are tender, 5 to 10 minutes more.

Stir onion mixture and wild rice into turnip mixture and cook until heated through, 2 to 3 minutes.