I love casseroles. They feed a crowd, make amazing leftovers and are excellent for cold winter nights. Here, leeks and wild rice add texture and nutrition, while cheese and sour cream provide a little decadence. Despite the recent snow, leeks, onions and garlic should still be available at your farmer’s market.

If you’re pressed for time, make the rice in advance. I cooked mine while getting ready for work in the morning.

Also…100th post! Many thanks to you, dear readers.

Ingredients:
1 cup wild rice
1/2 of a roasted chicken, pulled (I used the dark meat from a rotisserie chicken)
2 large cloves of garlic, minced
2 anchovies packed in oil, chopped (optional)
2 leeks, trimmed, cleaned and sliced
1 yellow onion, diced
1 cup of sour cream
1 cup of freshly grated Parmesan
1/2 cup of grated mozzarella
Salt and pepper to taste
Olive oil as needed

1. Preheat oven to 375.

2. Rinse rice thoroughly in hot water, then drain. In a medium saucepan, bring 3 cups of salted water to boil, then stir in rice. Cover and reduce heat, then let simmer until rice is tender and puffed open – about 40-45 minutes. Uncover and fluff with a fork; drain off any excess liquid.

3. While rice is cooking, heat a drizzle of olive oil in a large pan. When oil is shimmering, stir in anchovies, leeks onions and garlic. Season with salt and pepper and sauté until veggies are soft and onions are translucent – about 10 minutes.

4. In a large bowl, combine rice, veggies, chicken, sour cream and 3/4 of the Parmesan. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

5. Spread mixture into greased 9″ x 13″ baking dish, then top with remaining mozzarella and Parmesan.

6. Bake for 20 – 25 minutes, until bubbly and golden brown on top. Let cool before serving.