350 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes
1 cup REAL wild rice, no white rice mixed in
1 pound loose sausage meat
1 pound mushrooms of your choice, sliced
2 large onions chopped
l/4 cup of flour
½ cup heavy cream
2 ½ cups of low salt chicken broth or stock
Pinches of oregano, thyme, marjoram,salt, pepper( You can change this combination of herbs, either dried or fresh. The original recipe called for dried herbs. If you use fresh herbs, increase measurements to one teaspoon each).
Wash in several changes of water. Place in medium size pot (2 quarts or so) and cover with water. Bring to boil, remove cover, boil without stirring for about 30 minutes. Drain and keep warm.
Break sausage meat into small pieces, sauté in roomy skillet. Drain and put aside. In same pan return drained off fat and sauté mushrooms and onions until soft. Set aside. Make a roux with flour and cream and pour into heated chicken stock; whisk until smooth and thickened . Add seasonings and combine with rice, onions, mushrooms and sausages. Bake in a buttered gratin dish; should hold about eight cups. Sprinkle with toasted, slivered almonds if desired.
I serve this usually as part of a holiday or party buffet dinner. For this purpose, assuming there will be other dishes, this will serve at least 8 to 10 persons as a side dish; for a main course it will serve six people.