Wild Rice Salad with Maple Vinaigrette

Ingredients

Salad

• 1 cup blueberries
• 1 tsp honey
• 1 cup wild rice, rinsed
• 1 tsp salt
• 4 cups water
• 1/2 cup pumpkin seeds
• 1/2 cup walnuts, toasted and coarsely chopped
• 2 green onions, finely sliced
• 1 piece dried bison or beef jerky
• (optional)
• salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Maple Vinaigrette

• 1/4 cup canola oil
• 1/4 cup maple syrup
• 2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 1 tsp lemon zest
• 2 Tbsp lemon juice
• salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Instructions

1. In small bowl toss blueberries with honey, and place berries on parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake at 225 °F (110 °C) for 2 hours or until berries are dried and pliable.
2. In a large pot, add wild rice, salt and 4 cups (1L) water; bring to boil. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer until rice is tender and most of the grains have split open 50 to 60 minutes. Remove from heat, drain and return the rice to the pot. Cover and let rest for 10 minutes, then remove the lid and let rice cool.
3. Meanwhile in small bowl whisk together the canola oil, syrup, vinegar, zest and lemon juice until well blended; set aside.
4. Combine rice, dried berries, pumpkin seeds, walnuts, green onions with maple vinaigrette. Top with dried bison or beef jerky if using.

Recipe by Chef Douglas Hyndford, borrowed from: https://canadianfoodfocus.org/recipes/wild-rice-with-maple-vinaigrette/