Wild Rice with Grilled Vegetables

This dish is fun! The result is satisfying because you get lots of flavour from the variety of vegetables and combination of wild and brown rice. The lemon and orange zest will make everyone say "aah," especially the head of the family mom!

Rice:
2 cups (500 ml) brown rice
1 cup (250 ml) wild rice
1 onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 Tbsp (30 ml) butter
Zest from 1 lemon
Zest from 1 orange
1 Tbsp (15 ml) fresh parsley, chopped

Vegetables:
2 stalks baby bok choy, cut in half
2 carrots, thinly sliced
2 parsnips, thinly sliced
6-8 stalks asparagus, trimmed
1 cup (250 ml) brussels sprouts, cut in half
1 eggplant, sliced 1/4" (5 mm)
1 zucchini, sliced 1/4" (5 mm)
1 each red and yellow pepper, quartered
2-3 Tbsp (30-45 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
Vegetable seasoning to taste

Cook brown rice in four cups (one liter) water until water is fully absorbed. In a separate pot, cook wild rice in two and a half to three cups (625 to 750 ml) water.

Saut?nion and garlic in butter until soft. Add cooked rice, lemon zest, orange zest and parsley; mix well.

Keep warm.
In the meantime, blanch bok choy, carrot, parsnip, asparagus and brussels sprouts in a pot of boiling salted water for three to four minutes. Drain and rinse with cold water.

In a large bowl, place eggplant, zucchini, peppers and blanched vegetables then toss with oil and vegetable seasoning. Grill vegetables on a stovetop grill until golden brown, turning once.

Serve rice with grilled vegetables. Serves four.

Source: alive #223, May 2001