Tag Archives: wild rice

Walk on the Wild Side

Wow, it’s been quite a week. My sadness for our country is overwhelming. I bow to my black and brown brothers and sisters who in spite of the pandemic have peacefully protested for justice for George Floyd and for themselves. We have not been listening. Historically, it has always been the youth that have demanded change. Although the timing of such things is not in our hands, the call for justice is asking us to lend our voices to promote it. I am proud of our country’s youth and have confidence they will help to lead us out of this quagmire.

Here, we still farm. This week we have planted, caged and wired 400 tomato plants. When they become ripe, we will savor their sweetness, dust off our canners and prepare for cooler months. We will sell some, process for our future and take what we have remaining to local food banks. Our land is sacred to us. It has fed many families for 2 decades. As we age we are confident this land will find its future in the hands of like minded people of service.

This week we needed a sturdy salad that we could enjoy when we were too tired to cook. This amazing salad will hold for 5 days in the frig and only gets better as the dressing macerates the veggies in the salad. It has crunch, texture, and an appealing nuttiness that compliments the lemony dressing. It’s great for a picnic or potluck, since it’s completely stable with no dairy. I think you will agree it’s a keeper.

WILD RICE SALAD

INGREDIENTS:

  • 2 cups good quality long grain wild rice
  • 6 cups filtered water
  • 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
  • 1 cup toasted pecans, roughly chopped
  • 1 cup celery, chopped
  • 1 cup green onions (white and green parts), sliced thin
  • 1/2 cup fresh parsley, chopped
  • 8 ounces white mushrooms, halved and sliced thin
  • 8 slices bacon, chopped, fried, drained (optional)
  • 1/2 cup avocado oil
  • 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

INSTRUCTIONS:

  1. In a heavy medium pot bring the rice, water and salt to a boil. Adjust heat to medium and simmer until tender, 45-55 minutes. Drain, and place in a large bowl.
  2. To toast pecans, heat oven to 350 degrees F and place on rimmed baking sheet. Toast for 8 minutes. Remove and let cool.
  3. Add celery, green onions. parsley, and mushrooms to bowl. Mix gently.
  4. In a pint mason jar, measure avocado oil and fresh lemon juice, and salt and pepper. Shake vigorously.
  5. Add pecans and dressing to bowl and mix thoroughly. Place in decorative bowl or platter. Crumble bacon on top. Serve.

Serves 6-8

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“Truth never damages a cause that is just.” —Mahatma Gandhi

 

Wild Thing

Boy, are we ever having a heat wave!  Just in time for harvesting our 5500 heads of garlic.  The good news is it’s great for garlic; not so much for us garlic diggers and cleaners.  We get up early while the heat is bearable, then stop by midday to avoid becoming ill.  This is definitely the time of year for simplicity in the kitchen.  You can always throw something on the grill, but I really go for meal salads.  They don’t heat up the kitchen, and you can munch on them for a few days.  Virtually any grain or bean will work well, combined with vegetables of your choice.  I go for texture differences whenever possible; which usually means crunch and savory elements.  I’ve been making this salad for decades.  It’s great for a picnic (no mayo) and can be doubled or tripled to serve a crowd.

WILD RICE SALAD

INGREDIENTS:

  • 1 cup long grain wild rice, cooked, drained and cooled
  • 8 pieces of bacon, chopped, fried and drained
  • 2 cups celery, diced
  • 2 cups white onion, diced
  • 4 ounces white or brown mushrooms, stems removed, caps sliced
  • 2 cups curly parsley, chopped
  • 1 cup pecans or almonds, toasted

DRESSING:

  • 1/2 cup sunflower oil
  • 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

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DIRECTIONS:

  1. Measure 3 cups water into a medium saucepan and add 1 teaspoon salt.  Bring to a boil and stir in wild rice.  Turn down to low, partially cover and cook for 40 minutes.  Drain in a wire colander and set aside to cool.
  2. Chop bacon, fry until crisp and drain on paper towels.  Set aside.
  3. In a large bowl, place cooled wild rice, with celery, onions, mushrooms, pecans and parsley.
  4. Place ingredients for dressing in a pint mason jar.  Seal with lid and shake vigorously.  Pour over salad and mix thoroughly but gently.
  5. Serve on a platter and top with crumbled bacon.

Serves 4-6

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“I love how summer just wraps its warm arms around you like a blanket.”  —Kelle Elmore

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