Rice recipe winners

Demonstrating the versatility of wild rice, a Thai-infused chicken soup and a citrusy twist on fresh-roasted asparagus are this year’s winners of the Minnesota Cultivated Wild Rice Council’s “Get Wild with Wild Rice Recipe Contest.” Contestants from Utah and Wisconsin took home the cash awards in this year’s contest. Nancy Judd of Alpine, Utah, won the Grand Prize with her flavorful Thai Wild Rice Coconut Chicken Soup, and Barb Estabrook of Appleton, Wisconsin, won the coveted People’s Choice Award with her fresh and light Wild Rice ‘N Roasted Asparagus.

The “Get Wild with Wild Rice Recipe Contest” attracts participants from all corners of the country—from Washington to Florida and from Minnesota to Texas. Recipes submitted ran the gamut from the traditional to the creative, and to the downright bizarre in the categories of appetizers, soups, salads, entrées, and sides, demonstrating both the great taste and functionality of wild rice.

Recipes went head-to-head in a taste test conducted by culinary specialists who narrowed the field to 12 finalists competing for two awards. The Grand Prize winner was chosen by a panel of judges headed by Chef Ken Goff, and the People’s Choice Award was given to the finalist garnering the most online votes during September’s National Rice Month.