Wild Rice Salad with Honey-Mustard Vinaigrette

Last Thanksgiving I had this side dish at my in-laws house in Minnesota and I was dumbfounded when I ate it. First of all, I loved it, but I couldn't figure out why. I loved the taste of the roasted root vegetables, and the dressing was just right, but there was a flavor in it that I couldn't figure out what it was that just made this dish seem like crack to me--and I got addicted to it.

After my father-in-law sent the me recipe, I made it and then, EUREKA! it hit me. It was the pepitas that I loved. I used to eat pepitas in Mexico all the time and I think it just reminded me of my childhood.

I've made this dish a couple of times since Thanksgiving and I've played around a little with it. First, when I make it I cut the recipe in half because the original recipe below makes a lot of wild rice salad. I use salted pepitas this way I don't have to use much salt after I combine it all, and I also omit the scallions. As for dressing, I cut it by 1/4 because again, the recipe below makes a lot, and the original one had fresh sage in it, but I omitted that, too.

This is a very satisfying side dish and it could also be a meal for a vegetarian or even a dish you can serve for lent since there is no meat involved.

INGREDIENTS (serves 8)

• 4 cups cooked wild rice 

• 4 small parsnips, cubed 

• 4 small carrots, cubed 

• 1 medium squash, cubed 

• 6 scallions, diced 

• ½ cup pepitas 
(Mexican prepared pumpkin seeds)
• Olive oil
• salt and pepper

DIRECTIONS

Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees.

Put the root vegetables into a large bowl. Toss to lightly coat with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. 
Place veggies in a large roasting pan and roast until soft and slightly brown on the outside, about 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool.

In a heavy sauté pan heat about 2 teaspoons olive oil over medium heat. Add the pepitas and cook, stirring and shaking the pan, until the pepitas start to "pop" and get golden brown. Remove from heat and cool.

Toss everything together with 1/4 cup of the vinaigrette (recipe below). Taste for seasoning and add more vinaigrette, if needed. Serve room temperature or cold.

Honey-Mustard Vinaigrette

INGREDIENTS (makes about 2 cups of vinaigrette)

• 
¼ cup apple cider vinegar 

• 1 tablespoon smooth Dijon mustard 

• ¾ cup vegetable oil
• ¼ cup olive oil 
2 Tbl. honey 

• 1 chopped shallot 

• Salt and pepper

DIRECTIONS


Combine all ingredients in a blender and blend until dressing gets combined. Taste and adjust seasoning. You can also use this vinaigrette as a dressing for any salad. It's pretty good.

Chicken and Asparagus Over Wild Rice

When one thinks of Minnesota, many things come immediately to mind: cold air, 10,000 lakes, Prince, the Twins, MacGyver, and cold, cold air (did I mention that already?). What many people don't know is that there are many good wineries in Minnesota, and Minnesotan food is actually pretty good, despite the famously gross dish called Ludefisk. Minnesota's state grass is Northern wild rice, which is not really rice. Wild rice is basically the seeds of a grass that grows in shallow water. Wild rice is high in protein, the amino acid lysine and dietary fiber, and low in fat, and it does not contain gluten. Because of this, you must cook it twice a long as you would regular rice, and with a lot more water. Nevertheless, I think you'll enjoy the nutty flavor that this "seed" has, and the authentic flavor of Minnesotan cooking!

INGREDIENTS (serves 2)

• 1/2 cup Northern Wild Rice
• 12 ounces boneless, skinless chicken breast
• 1 garlic clove, finely minced
• 1 shallot, chopped
• 8 ounces fresh asparagus
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/4 cup white wine, such as a pinot gris or sauvegnon blanc
• 2 tablespoons cold milk
• 1 teaspoon corn starch
• 1 cup chicken stock
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• salt and pepper

DIRECTIONS

1. To prepare the wild rice: rinse and drain the rice. Add to 2 cups water and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Bring to boil, reduce heat and simmer until rice is tender, about 45 to 55 minutes. Drain any excess liquid.
2. Slice chicken into strips about 1/4 inch wide and 1 1/2 inches long. Liberally season them with salt and pepper.
3. Wash asparagus, trim off tough ends and cut into 1 1/2 inch pieces.
4. Heat one tablespoon oil in large skillet on medium-high. When hot, add the shallots and cook until tender, about 1 minute. Add chicken pieces. Cook 2 - 3 minutes one one side, turn, and cook another minute or two, or until no pink remains. Lastly, add the garlic and cook until it becomes fragrant, about 30 seconds. Spoon chicken mixture into a bowl, including any juices in the pan.
5. Add remaining one tablespoon of oil into pan and add asparagus and cook, stirring for several minutes, until asparagus is bright green, about 5 minutes. Add wine to asparagus and cook, stirring, until liquid evaporates. Remove asparagus and add it to the chicken in bowl.
6. Remove pan from heat. In a small bowl, combine 2 tablespoons of cold milk and a tablespoon of cornstarch, stirring until smooth to make a slurry. Add the slurry to the pan; add remaining 1 cup chicken stock and return pan to heat and cook, stirring constantly, until thickened, about 2 - 3 minutes. Taste for seasoning, add salt and pepper to taste.
7. Stir in chicken and asparagus to sauce and simmer for another 5 to 10 minutes to heat through.
8. To serve: put cooked wild rice on a serving dish, arrange chicken mixture on top, drizzle with lemon juice, and serve.