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Wild Rice Salad

4.3

(79)

We couldn't have an American potluck dinner that didn't include at least one thoroughly native dish. The wild rice, hickory nuts, and dried cranberries in this salad are a nod to the potluck's origins.

Cooks' note:

Salad keeps, covered and chilled, 3 days.

Recipe information

  • Total Time

    1 1/4 hr

  • Yield

    Serves 12

Ingredients

1 pound wild rice

For vinaigrette:

1/4 cup fresh orange juice
3 tablespoons chopped shallot
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 cup long-grain white rice
1 1/2 cups water
2 cups hickory nuts or chopped pecans, toasted
1 1/4 cups chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
3/4 cup dried apricots, thinly sliced
3/4 cup dried cranberries

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Rinse wild rice in a sieve under cold water, then combine with cold water to cover by 2 inches in a 5-quart pot. Simmer, covered, until tender, 45 minutes to 1 hour.

  2. Make vinaigrette while wild rice is simmering:

    Step 2

    Whisk together juice, shallot, vinegar, mustard, and garlic. Gradually whisk in oil until emulsified and season with salt and pepper.

  3. Cook white rice:

    Step 3

    After wild rice has been simmering 20 minutes, boil white rice and 1 1/2 cups water in a 1 1/2-quart heavy saucepan, uncovered and undisturbed, until steam holes appear on surface, about 8 minutes. Reduce heat to very low and cook, covered and undisturbed, 15 minutes more. Remove from heat and let stand, covered, 5 minutes.

  4. Assemble salad:

    Step 4

    Rinse cooked wild rice in a sieve under cold water and drain. Stir together rices, vinaigrette, nuts, parsley, dried fruit, and salt and pepper to taste.

    Step 5

    Serve at room temperature.

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