Wild Rice Waldorf Salad

This salad is one of my absolute favorites! I first had it for Thanksgiving at my sister-in-law, Judy's, a few years back. Her daughter, Michelle, brought it and after my first taste I had to have the recipe. Then I lost it and tried feverishly to find a comparable one without luck. I finally contacted Michelle and she was able to email it to me.

In my never ending search for dishes made with wild rice, I came across one in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel's 2009's Best Recipes section called Chicken Wild Rice Salad with an Orange Tarragon Dressing. It sounds spectacular, so look for a future post on that one.

Wild Rice Waldorf Salad
From Moosewood Restaurant Low-Fat Favorites: Flavorful Recipes for Healthful Meals

Serves 6
Total time: 1-1/4 hours, including cooking the rice

Serve at room temperature or chilled.

Salad:
2/3 cup wild rice
2-1/2 cups hot water
1 cup brown rice, preferably long grain
1 large, tart apple, such as Crispin or Granny Smith
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 bell pepper, seeded and diced, any color
1 cup diced celery
1/2 cup minced red onions
1/2 cup currants or raisins (I've only had it and made it with dried cranberries)
1/4 cup toasted almonds or walnuts, chopped or slivered (toast raw nuts on an unoiled baking sheet at 350 degrees for about five minutes until fragrant)

Dressing:
1/2 cup orange juice
1 tablespoon pure maple syrup or honey
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon dried cardamom
1 tablespoon canola or other vegetable oil

In a saucepan with a tight-fitting lid, soak the wild rice in one cup of the hot water for 30 minutes. Add the brown rice and the remaining 1-1/2 cups of water, bring to a boil, then lower to a simmer, cover, and cook for about 45 minutes, until rice is tender.

When the rice has cooked for about 30 minutes, dice the apple and toss with the lemon juice in a large bowl. Add the peppers, celery, red onions, currants or raisins, and almonds or walnuts and set aside. Whisk together all of the dressing ingredients. Add the cooked rice and the dressing to the bowl and toss well to combine.

Note: You need about 2 cups of cooked wild rice and 3 cups or cooked brown rice for this recipe.