Veg-Head Monday: Wild Rice Salad (with sketchy heritage)

August 15, 2010

My addiction to the food rags is catching up with me. Seriously, it’s addling my brain. I know I got this recipe from somewhere, but now I cannot find my hard copy of it; all I have is a few directions, scrawled on an old grocery receipt. Looking at the ingredients, I’m betting the recipe is from Cooking Light magazine, but if it’s not, my apologies. Forgive the mentally incapacitated.

I have so many “rough” recipes for things scrawled on bits of paper strewn around my house that I’m beginning to feel like Emily Dickinson. If I die tomorrow, Miss M. and Miss D. are going to be stumbling across recipe scraps for decades, long after I’m reduced to fertilizer.

When I think of wild rice, I immediately think of the Midwest. Midwesterners have an affinity for throwing the stuff into every kettle of chowder that graces the stove. Wild rice means soup to me. But I was intrigued with this recipe for wild rice salad–it had some nice little goodies in it and sounded pretty healthy. It makes a terrific side for grilled meat or chicken; I mixed in the leftover grilled chicken the next day and liked it even better. This salad keeps well, so throw it in the lunchbox and thumb your nose at the shmuck at the office eating Hot Pockets.

One caveat: if you live at high altitude, you need to cook the wild rice longer than the recipe states; I tested mine at 1 1/4 hours and nearly broke a molar. Other than that, I think this one’s a keeper.

Wild Rice Salad with Feta and Pecans
serves 4-6 as a side

1 cup wild rice, rinsed
1/2 cup frozen peas, thawed
1/2 cup cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
1/2 cup feta cheese, crumbled
1/4 cup chopped red onion
1/4 cup vegetable or chicken stock
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon dijon mustard
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped
1/3 cup pecans, toasted and coarsely chopped

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Bring a generous amount of water to a boil in a large stockpot. Salt water liberally, stir in wild rice. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook, partially covered, until rice is al dente, about one hour to 1 1/4 hours. Drain well and rinse under cold water.

Combine rice, peas, tomatoes, and onion in a large bowl. Toss gently to combine. Whisk broth, lemon juice, mustard, oil, salt and pepper together in a small bowl. Add to rice mixture and toss to combine. Add feta, basil and pecans and toss gently. Let stand for at least 30 minutes to let flavors combine; season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve at room temperature.

{ 39 comments… read them below or add one }

Winn August 15, 2010 at 4:28 pm

Sounds wonderful. I love wild rice. Ever thought of getting someone to type up these recipes and put them in a compilation book for you? Not that I’m volunteering or anything… =) … but I wouldn’t say no if you asked me.

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Heather August 15, 2010 at 5:41 pm

I’m so happy to know that I’m not the only one with a recipe book full of scraps of paper! This looks truly delicious – and I think you did snag it from Cooking Light. It looks really familiar! We try to do one all veg meal a week – a good reminder to add this one to next weeks menu!!!

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diane August 15, 2010 at 5:46 pm

oh how wonderful would that be to stumble upon a book of your rough recipes? The anecdotes alone would be a best seller!
and I love wild rice! xo

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Christine @ Fresh Local and Best August 15, 2010 at 7:53 pm

This looks like a wonderful wild rice salad. I like the Mediterranean touch of the feta, tomatoes and basil.

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theUngourmet August 15, 2010 at 10:47 pm

I have done this recipe thing so many times! This looks like a nice one. I rarely buy wild rice for some reason. Hope your tooth is okay. Hey, I know a great dentist! ;)

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Chiara August 16, 2010 at 2:09 am

Cooking Light, uh? I must have missed it. But then again, I have your same problem with magazines, so it could very well be that I’ve seen it and forgot about it. Anyhow, it sounds really yummy, makes me want to try wild rice again. Last time I had I was 5 and let’s say the experiment didn’t go so well…

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Allison @ Alli 'n Son August 16, 2010 at 3:27 am

This looks like the perfect lunch. Yummy.

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Paula August 16, 2010 at 4:10 am

“reduced to fertilizer”? Gave me a laugh. Must remember that line.

Are you from the Midwest? I am, originally, and we never used wild rice. So I don’t think to buy it often. But this looks like a great excuse to do so.

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Phoo-d August 16, 2010 at 6:03 am

I love the texture of wild rice in a salad. This sounds like a great combo with the pecans and feta! Perfect for the impending transition into fall!

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Tiffany August 16, 2010 at 6:20 am

Yeah!! I’m having my veg-head friend over for dinner on Thursday and this sounds poy-fect!

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Alexandra August 16, 2010 at 8:09 am

This is very pretty with the. Where I cater, we use HUGE dried cherries, it’s sweet, but not as pretty as this plated up here.

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Alexandra August 16, 2010 at 8:10 am

hey! Where’s my word tomatoes? Well, pls stick “tomatoes” in the comment above. xo

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subWOW August 16, 2010 at 9:27 am

As I am now in the Himalayas practicing my Zen + Kung fu thingy that every Chinese person does (For realz!), I really appreciate your watching out for people who live in the high altitude. I am so tired of those altitud-ists…

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Wendi @ Bon Appetit Hon August 16, 2010 at 9:48 am

Kitch, glad you show the wild rice some love. Sorry that it nearly resulted in dental destruction.

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Cheryl @ Mommypants August 16, 2010 at 10:10 am

That actually sounds delish. I mean, it’s no deep-fried butter, but still..

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Eva @ Eva Evolving August 16, 2010 at 10:55 am

Oh man, I LOVE wild rice! Definitely a Midwestern thing.

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Linda at Bar Mitzvahzilla August 16, 2010 at 11:43 am

Ah, the great legacies we leave our kids. I’m sure my heartless monsters will just throw all my junk out! And mine will be slips of papers with snippets of story ideas, all requiring my brain to actually know where I was going with it. At least recipes can be used by the finder, right?

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elizabeth August 16, 2010 at 12:08 pm

You think soup, I think Uncle Ben’s Long Grain and Wild Rice side dishes that my mom would whip up with some barbecue chicken or similar for a weekday meal. :-) We have a recipe from one of our Latin American cookbooks that uses it as a base for a crazy, colorful salad–though it involves corn kernels, something I’m not a huge fan of myself (it’s a weird texture thing)–but this is inspiring me to take it out and tweak it a bit.

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Jane August 16, 2010 at 3:46 pm

I’ve already printed this one off and it’s going on the menu for this week! Sounds perfect for that grilled chicken I have planned!

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Christine LaRocque August 16, 2010 at 4:38 pm

Mmmmm, more with the feta!! My kids, as you know, would never eat this. I find msyelf so short on energy and spirit these days that I’m just sticking with the easy stuff, stuff I know they’ll eat. But this, this I might have to try!

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Maria August 16, 2010 at 5:21 pm

I like. Very much. And the fact that it keeps well in a lunch box WILL make me the envy of everyone I lunch with. Thanks Kitch!

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Maria @BOREDmommy August 16, 2010 at 5:42 pm

EVERYTHING is better with feta!! Believe me, I’ve done the legwork.

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becca August 16, 2010 at 5:58 pm

Ok, printed and put aside to cook on our vacation next week! I’ve been looking for some easy delicious meals to eat on the porch of our rented house. And this seems like the perfect porch friendly lunch!

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Amber August 16, 2010 at 8:18 pm

I would have ignored this recipe if I didn’t stumble upon the deliciousness of adding rice to a green salad myself. This sounds like a perfect VegHead meal. I think your daughters will enjoy finding those scraps around the house as long as they include your wicked sense of humor. : )

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Amy @ Never-True Tales August 16, 2010 at 10:21 pm

My recipe books are filled with notes and scraps of paper. This salad looks fab though. And I love wild rice. Can’t wait to try!

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Gibby August 17, 2010 at 6:57 am

You know what I have scrawled on bits of paper lost around the house? To Do lists. And then at the top of my To Do list is find the darn To Do list. I swear, if my head wasn’t attached to my body…

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ShannonL August 17, 2010 at 11:15 am

This looks soooo yummy! I especially love salads with feta and pecans (ooh, and I love dried cranberries, too!)! Very interesting touch with the wild rice (that usually means soup to me, too). This is a perfect lunch (especially with the chicken) and yes, I think the shmucks at my office would be very jealous! :-)

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Mrs.Mayhem August 17, 2010 at 11:39 am

Looks wonderful! Actually a pretty perfect meal for our family (1 vegetarian, 5 not) – I can have this as the main dish and my family can have it with chicken. Thanks!

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soccermom August 17, 2010 at 11:44 am

Hey my anniversay is coming up and I love Zucchini , I was hoping you had a great recipe for a Zucchiniand ricotta tart?
Ever heard of this?

I figured you know all so I would start with you first. : )

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Jamie August 18, 2010 at 4:38 am

Sorry to butt in, but I recently made and posted a fabulous Zucchini Ricotta Feta Tart – delicious!

http://lifesafeast.blogspot.com/2010/05/zucchini-ricotta-feta-tart.html

Enjoy! And Happy Anniversary!

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TKW August 17, 2010 at 11:58 am

Soccermom, although she’s my nemesis, this recipe sounds and looks pretty good:

http://www.rachaelraymag.com/Recipes/rachael-ray-magazine-recipe-index/breakfast-brunch-recipes/Zucchini-and-Ricotta-Tart

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bryan August 17, 2010 at 2:21 pm

laughing at your method of keeping recipes, I have so many stored the same way usually in a notebook sitting on top of my printer I fear people will be pulling them out of the woodwork and cupboards for years to come.

I see you are quoting my girl rachael… ;~)

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Belinda Munoz + The Halfway Point August 17, 2010 at 2:55 pm

I love this dish! It’s like picnic meets spa ease and deciousness! Give me wild rice over brown rice any day, I don’t know why.

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Emily August 17, 2010 at 5:55 pm

If it makes you feel any better… I have a bunch of recipes from Bon Appetit magazine that I cut out. So when I post them I won’t be able to specify which month of the year’s edition the recipes came out of. I feel silly now. But what can you do? This salad looks really good!

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Katybeth August 17, 2010 at 6:52 pm

I don’t have any trouble keeping track of my 4 recipes. Now, that I am trying a few new one’s you have to me worried that recipe keeping is yet another cooking obstacle to overcome..I just learned that you must separate the fresh tarragon from the stem tonight and how this is accomplished. In any case, this Wild Rice Salad looks possible and I love the ingredients, so I might give it a try next week! One question do I use vegetable or chicken stock? and is there anything special I should know about fresh basil?

learning to cook…with my 14 year old…and not loving it. yet.

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Bonnie August 18, 2010 at 4:05 am

Another way to showcase tomatoes!! I actually have all the ingredients for this salad on hand. And having another mouth to feed with the boy visiting, I’ll take all the recipe help I can get!!

Best,
Bonnie

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Jamie August 18, 2010 at 4:40 am

I think so many of us foodie have post-it stickies and bits of paper and old grocery receipts sticking out of cookbooks and cooking magazines not to mention all the scraps of paper – recipes ripped out of magazines – all over the house! Clutter is a sign of a creative mind! And this recipe looks and sounds so delicious and perfectly summery. xo

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camilla August 20, 2010 at 1:50 am

Oh this looks fab, I remember wild rice being everywhere in Chicago. I went to do a dish with it the other day and couldn’t find it any where in Sydney, then just when I almost gave up I found a 100g bag for…….$8.95!!!! rip off so I had brown rice instead

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Kelly August 23, 2010 at 9:23 pm

I don’t cook, but I still find weird snippets of recipes and random ingredient lists everywhere. At least yours are always tasty!

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