Recipe: Nutty Wild Rice Salad with Orange Dressing (with brown rice and dried cranberries)

NUTTY WILD RICE SALAD

4 cups water
1 cup uncooked wild rice (all black; not a boxed blend)
1 cup uncooked brown rice
1 teaspoon cooking oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups chopped celery
1 cup chopped green onions
1 1/2 cups dried sweetened cranberries
2 cups chopped pecans, toasted
1 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley (or cilantro)
FOR THE DRESSING:
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
2 oranges (for 3 tablespoons orange zest and 3/4 cup squeezed juice
2 tablespoons honey
1/2 cup virgin olive oil

In a large saucepan, put water, wild rice, cooking oil and salt. Bring to a boil, then lower heat, cover pan and simmer about 30 minutes.

Add brown rice and simmer 30 minutes longer or until rice is tender (check water in pan and add more boiling water, as necessary). Keep simmering until many wild rice grains have popped to reveal the beige color inside each grain.

Drain rice, if necessary, and place both types of grain in a large mixing bowl. Add chopped celery, green onions (with part of the green tops), dried cranberries, toasted pecans and parsley or fresh cilantro.

TO MAKE THE DRESSING:
In a blender, put balsamic vinegar, mustard, orange zest and orange juice, honey and olive oil. Cover and buzz in blender until mixed.

Pour as much dressing as you like over rice and vegetables. Be conservative, or the leftover rice salad will absorb all the dressing added initially if it's refrigerated for another day.

Best flavor if served near room temperature rather than chilled.

Makes 8 servings
Source: Eileen Schantz, West Hurley, NY, 2001 recipe contest winner, Lundberg Farms in California