Wild Rice with Pears, Sausage, and Candied Pecans

Ingredients

• ½ Tbs. unsalted butter
• 1 Tbs. packed dark brown sugar
• 2 small fresh bay leaves (optional)
• 1 Tbs. chopped fresh sage
• 2 Tbs. dry vermouth
• 1 small yellow onion, finely diced (about 1 cup)
• 1 tsp. chopped fresh thyme
• + 7 more ingredients
• • ¼ cup pecans
  • 6 oz. sweet Italian sausage (casings removed if using links), crumbled
  • 1 Tbs. olive oil
  • Kosher salt
  • 1 cup wild rice
  • Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 small ripe pears (preferably Comice), peeled, cored, cut lengthwise into ½ inch-thick wedges, and then crosswise into ½ inch pieces

Bring 4 cups of water to a boil in a 4-quart saucepan. Add the wild rice and a generous pinch of salt, reduce the heat to maintain a gentle simmer, and cook until tender, 30 to 45 minutes. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium heat. Add the sausage and cook, breaking up any b...

View full recipe at Fine Cooking