Wild Rice: The Indigenous Superfood

Overview:

As the autumn air cools, Chef Cheo Smith will take you on a journey exploring a food that represents the best of Minnesota — from its Indigenous roots as a vital cultural staple and marker of clean water and healthy land practices to its place in our kitchens today. In this demonstration class, we will explore how wild rice can be used in autumn cooking, shifting away from summer’s verdant flavors to embrace the deep, comforting profiles of woodsmoke, forest mushrooms and cold-weather harvests.

Through a mix of technical demonstration and tasting, we will cover the mechanics of cooking wild rice to perfectly split grains without losing structural integrity. You will learn how to build deep flavor layers in cold-weather soups, balance natural sugars like maple and dried fruit with wholesome grains and utilize herbs and late season veggies in comforting ways. Along the way, we will discuss the current state of modern wild rice cultivation, ecological conservation efforts and what the future holds for one of Minnesota’s oldest and most culturally significant food crops.

In this class you will learn: 

• Stock & Soup Foundations: Building a rich, savory broth base utilizing root vegetables, beef and earthy mushrooms.
• Fall Flavor Balancing: Harmonizing sweet maple and tart cranberries with savory, rustic grains.
• Botanical Infusions: The history, sourcing and safe preparation of traditional cedar tea.
   

On the menu: 

• Autumn Wild Rice Porridge: A warm, comforting blend of wild rice, oats and dried berries, finished with pure Minnesota maple syrup.
• Harvest Wild Rice Pilaf with Squash and Kale: A vibrant side dish showcasing roasted autumn squash, hearty kale, cranberries and fresh fall herbs.
• Wild Rice, Root Vegetable, Mushroom, and Beef Soup: A rich, deeply flavored soup featuring a robust broth, tender beef and earthy forest mushrooms.
• Wild Rice and Cedar Tea: An aromatic steeped beverage offering a clean, restorative taste of the Northwoods.

You'll enjoy a sampling lunch featuring these wild rice dishes, along with take home recipes and know-how to incorporate this amazing grain into your own cooking.

Please note: We are unable to accommodate individualized changes to the menu.

Instructor: 

Chef Cheo Smith brings his experience in kitchens of all sizes — from the home oven to producing hundreds of school lunches a day, and now, to the Farm at the Arb. A Minnesota native, Cheo is a member of the Sisseton Whapeton Oyate and descendant of the White Earth Nation. He seeks to bridge the gaps in access and knowledge that prevent many people from getting farm fresh ingredients to their dinner table. His mission is to make preparing great tasting and healthy foods accessible to the home cook.