Wild rice grows in the cold waters of the Great Lakes Area, and the cold mountain lakes of California. It is harvested in August/September before the first frost. In this pilaf, The roasted flavor of the native wild rice is absorbed by the basmati rice, so you double your flavor. Wild rice pilaf makes any meal look and taste special. We buy 5 pounds of wild rice a year from the local Wild Rice Cooperative here.

Summer Spaghetti Squash stuffed with cooked native wild rice and ground buffalo meat, the spaghetti squash glazed with maple syrup sauce. Spaghetti squash starts growing here from seeds first of May, two more weeks to sprout, six more weeks to produce fruits, ready by the Fourth of July Holiday.This is an easy quick big holiday dinner for two or enough for four regular meals, the spaghetti squash cooks perfectly in the microwave.The vegan version of this dish uses mock beef seitan instead of buffalo meat, recipe below.

Our nearby mountain lake grows some of the very best wild rice, nutty and creamy in flavor. And fresh oyster mushrooms grow on the kitchen counter every 30 days, they are ready to harvest today. We also saved shiitake mushrooms from last fall by air drying in the air fryer.Shiitake mushrooms taste like beef. Oyster mushrooms taste like lobster. Porcini mushrooms taste like smoked ham.A pilaf is rice cooked in broth, in this case porcini mushroom broth. The mushrooms are sauteed in white cooking wine. Shallots are glazed till sweet and optional small wagyu meat balls are browned served as a side dish. I use half a teaspoon of japanese bonito fish dashi powder to bring all these unique flavors together in a festive dish, but , for vegans, you can substitute dashi with soy sauce.By serving wagyu meatballs on the side, this dish can be vegan or traditional.#GlobalApron

The trimmings left over from preparing a whole duck for marinade are perfect to make this gourmet wild rice duck soup dinner, a full meal for two.#GoldenApron23

To appreciate the special flavors that native wild rice brings, make the mushroom soup you are familiar with, add only the steamed wild rice and simmer the flavors together. Here is my soup recipe of dried shiitake mushrooms with native wild rice. The wild rice is from the local Wild Rice Cooperative in the hight mountain lakes nearby.

Cooked on a dry hot cast iron griddle, skillet or a ceramic tile in the oven, 16 pancakes for two people, quick breakfast becomes a feast. Tastes great reheated in the microwave too, from frozen. The native wild rice is roasted when harvested and that gives a special nutty flavor to the pancakes.Delicious when dipped in maple syrup.

After having been carved, the carcass of a smoked duck makes a delicious broth for a quick smoked duck soup wild rice dinner, gamey and lean, perfect with wild rice. Here is the recipe.#GoldenApron23

This home made vegan mock duck has the smoked flavor and texture of smoked duck,in a soup of wild rice, mushrooms, vegetable broth, fresh greens, panfried onion rings and is served with tofu garlic croutons on the side.#GoldenApron23

Egg fried rice is great with dinner, or as a quick warm lunch or even cold for breakfast. Always fresh, even reheated or cold if you keep the scrambled eggs separate from the fried rice and stir together just before serving.

New crop basmati arrives here in June, long grain rice that absorbs gravies and sauces better than short rice. Served with spicy turkey sauce and braised turkey wings.#GlobalApron

Ground lamb, spiced and rolled into firm balls, then stirfried and boiled, releases its flavors and fats into the wok, and spices up stirfried rice and vegetables to a delicious dinner. Serve with pickled vegetables like atjar tjampoer and shrimp chips, krupuk udang. Pickled vegetables take away the sting of spicy dishes.

Here is another chicken liver student dinner made on a hot plate in a wok, a full week of dinners under 50 cents each. #GoldApron23