COLD WILD RICE SALAD

Cold Wild Rice Salad image

A refreshing, delicious, colorful wild rice salad that is served cold. Great as a main dish or side dish.

Provided by Karen Quinn

Time 4h45m

Yield 16

Number Of Ingredients 18

Ingredients

4 (6 ounce) packages long grain and wild rice mix (such as Uncle Ben's®)
8 ½ cups chicken broth
½ cup pine nuts
2 teaspoons walnut oil
1 cup roughly chopped walnuts
1 medium green bell pepper, minced
1 medium yellow bell pepper, minced
1 medium red bell pepper, minced
1 cup minced celery
1 cup dried cranberries
½ cup thinly sliced scallions
⅔ cup rice vinegar
½ cup coarsely chopped fresh basil
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 clove garlic, minced
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
¾ cup extra-virgin olive oil
¼ cup walnut oil

Steps:

Discard seasoning packets from the rice and place rice in a large saucepan. Stir in chicken broth and bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce heat to low and simmer, covered, until water is absorbed, about 25 minutes. Spread rice on a baking sheet to cool.
While the rice is cooling, toast pine nuts in a dry frying pan over low heat until golden brown, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove to a large bowl.
Add walnut oil to the same pan, then add walnuts. Toast until golden brown, 3 to 5 minutes. Add walnuts to the pine nuts.
Add cooled rice to the nuts, along with bell peppers, celery, cranberries, and scallions; toss well.
Blend rice vinegar, basil, Dijon, garlic, and pepper for dressing in a food processor. Slowly drizzle olive oil and walnut oil through the chute with the motor running until combined.
Add dressing the the rice salad and toss well. Chill for 4 hours before serving.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 395.3 calories, Carbohydrate 43.5 g, Cholesterol 3.2 mg, Fat 22.1 g, Fiber 2.3 g, Protein 7.1 g, SaturatedFat 2.6 g, Sodium 1296.1 mg, Sugar 8 g