Recipe: Wild Rice Salads (4)

Sweet and Sour Wild Rice Salad

Salad:

1 C. wild rice
1 bunch of scallions
1/2 C. pecans
1/2 C. golden raisins
orange zest

Dressing:

1/4-1/2 C. salad oil
1/4-1/2 C. orange juice concentrate
3 T. raspberry vinegar
salt and pepper

A possible substitute for the raspberry vinegar
is to mix 2 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar (or other
flavorful vinegar) with 1 Tbsp. raspberry jam.

Makes about 8-10 1/2 cup portions.

Preparation time: 90 min.

Boil the wild rice until broken open (about
45 min-1 hour). Then rinse the boiled rice
in cool water and set aside.

Chop pecans and scallions into a coarse
texture. Mix all dry ingredients together.

Put together salad dressing. All ingredient
amounts can vary according to individual taste.
More orange juice will make dressing sweeter
and more vinegar will make dressing more sour.

Add all ingredients for dressing in a
blender or whip them together.

Toss dry ingredients with dressing and
chill in fridge. Salad is best when eaten
within a couple of days.

Make sure to toss salad each time before
serving as dressing will settle to the bottom.
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Wild Rice Salad

2 cups cooked wild rice, chilled
2 large unpeeled red apples, diced
1 Tablespoon lemon juice
1 Tablespoon brown sugar
2 stalks celery, chopped
1/2 cup plain non-fat yogurt
1/4 cup mayonnaise

Toss apples with brown sugar and lemon juice. Stir in celery and rice. Blend
together yogurt and mayonnaise. Toss with salad ingredients and chill.


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Apple-Wild Rice Salad

2 C Cooked Wild Rice (cooked without salt or fat)
2 C Cooked Long-Grain Rice
1 C Peeled, Chopped Red Delicious Apple
1 C Frozen English Peas -- Thawed
1/2 C Unsweetened Orange Juice
3 Tbsp Fresh Lime Juice
2 Tbsp Minced Fresh Mint
1 1/2 Tsp Grated Orange Rind
1/2 Tsp Salt
1/8 Tsp Freshly Ground Pepper

Combine the first 4 ingredients in a bowl; toss. Combine orange juice and next
6 ingredients; stir well. Pour over rice mixture.

Yield: 6 (1 C) servings

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Wild Rice and Hazelnut Salad

Ingredients (6 servings)

3/4 c Wild rice
1/2 ts Salt
1/2 c Hazelnuts
5 tb Currants
1 lg Orange, juice only
Citrus Vinaigrette with Hazelnut Oil (See RECIPE)
1 sm Fennel bulb cut into small squares
1 Crisp apple
Freshly ground black pepper
Salt

Instructions

PREHEAT OVEN TO 350F.

Rinse the wild rice, and soak it in water
for a half hour, then drain. Add 4 cups
fresh water and salt, and bring to a boil.

Cook, covered, at a simmer until the grains
are swollen and tender, but still chewy,
about 30 to 35 minutes. Pour the cooked
rice into a colander and let it drain briefly.
While the rice is cooking, toast the hazelnuts
in the oven, 7 to 10 minutes, or until they
smell toasty. Let them cool a few minutes;
then rub them in a small kitchen towel to
remove most of the skins. Don't worry about
any flecks of skins that won't come off.
Roughly chop the hazelnuts, leaving the
pieces fairly large.

Rinse the currants in warm water and squeeze
them dry; then cover them with the orange
juice and let them soak until needed.

Prepare the vinaigrette. Add the soaked
currants and the fennel to the warm rice,
and toss with the dressing.

Just before serving, cut the apple into
small pieces, add it to the rice, along
with the hazelnuts, and toss. Season with
freshly ground black pepper, and additional
salt, if needed, and serve.