Wild, Sweet and Crunchy

I like the crunchy texture and nutty flavor of wild rice, but I like it best when it is blended with another rice. For this salad I combined it with long-grain white rice, but it would also be great with brown rice.

The hint of sweetness comes from dried currants and cherries and a new product called fig balsamic vinegar, which is combined with lemon juice to make the dressing. With all this flavor, you don’t even notice the fact that there’s no fat added.

This would go well with lamb or ham at Easter, or serve it afterward with that leftover Easter ham in a sandwich or soup.

Wild Rice Salad

Active Work Time 15 minutes * Total Preparation Time: 1 hour plus 1 hour chilling * Vegetarian

Platter and serving spoon from Smith & Hawken stores.

1 (6-ounce) box wild rice

1/2 cup long-grain white rice

1 cup chopped celery

1/2 cup chopped green onion

1/2 cup dried currants

1/2 cup dried cherries

1/2 cup toasted slivered almonds

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons lemon juice

2 tablespoons fig balsamic vinegar

Watercress

Bring 2 3/4 cups water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Add the wild rice, cover and simmer until the rice is tender, about 45 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes or until all of the water is absorbed. Fluff the rice and spoon it into a bowl.

While the wild rice is cooking, bring 1 cup of water to boil in a small saucepan. Add the long-grain white rice, cover and cook until the rice is tender, 15 to 20 minutes. Fluff rice and lightly stir it into the cooked wild rice.

Stir the celery, green onion, currants, cherries, almonds and salt into the rice. Drizzle over the lemon juice and balsamic vinegar and toss until everything is evenly coated. Cover and chill 1 hour to develop the flavors. Spoon it onto a bed of watercress to serve.

5 cups. Each 1/2-cup serving: 86 calories; 130 mg sodium; 0 cholesterol; 4 grams fat; 0 saturated fat; 11 grams carbohydrates; 3 grams protein; 1.78 grams fiber.