Seedy Wild Rice, Apple & Cranberry Salad

I used 1/3 of a cup of red rice in this, just because it was sitting there looking lonely and insufficient to cook on its own. That was, I think, a very good proportion to the wild rice which is fabulous and could be certainly eaten straight, but which is not exactly cheap.

I thought this salad was excellent, but then I would; it's full of my favourite things.

6 servings
1 hour 30 minutes - 30 minutes prep time


Cook the Rice:
1 cup wild rice
OR a mix of wild and brown rice
pinch of salt
water

Cook the wild rice in the rice cooker, with three cups of water and a pinch of salt. If you use a blend of wild rice and brown rice, allow triple the measure of the wild rice in water and double the amount of brown rice in water. Let the rice cool before making the salad.

Make the Dressing:
1/3 cup raspberry vinegar
1/4 cup sunflower seed or nut (hazelnut or almond) oil
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
salt & pepper to taste

Shake in a jar or whisk together in a small bowl.

Assemble the Salad:
2 medium carrots
1 cup dried cranberries
2 large apples
1 cup sunflower or pumpkin seeds, or a combination
1 head (hydroponic) lettuce

Put the cooked wild rice in a large bowl and add the carrots, peeled and grated. Add the cranberries. Wash the apples, core them and chop them. Add them to the salad.

Toast the pumpkin or sunflower seeds in a dry skillet over medium-high heat until lightly browned. If you use a combination, start the pumpkin seeds before the sunflower seeds. They should be about half done when the sunflower seeds go in. Stir them constantly to avoid scorching. Once they are done, turn them out onto a plate to cool. When they are cool, they can be added to the salad.

Toss in the salad dressing and serve over the lettuce leaves, which should be washed and dried.

If you wish to make the salad in advance, keep the toasted seeds aside, and don't add the apples. Cut and add the apples just before serving, along with the toasted seeds. It might not hurt to keep the dressing separate until then too.