Never Not Hungry

I really, really love this rice dish. Because it’s a cold salad, I find that I typically only think to make it in the spring and summer. But honestly, it would be great any time of the year. The wild rice is firm but deliciously chewy, the veggies are crunchy and the dressing is tangy. There’s a lot going on, but not in a way that’s overwhelming. To make an awesome dish even more…awesomer–it’s beautiful!

Not to mention super easy to make. If you’re not bothered by a bit of chopping.

For the rice:

Boil 6 cups of chicken broth, or 1/2 broth 1/2 water. Add half a cup of long grain brown rice and half cup of wild rice, and boil for about 30-35 minutes or until brown rice is tender and wild rice is chewy. Drain, saving cooking liquid. Rinse the rice, drain again, cool.

While that’s cooking or cooling, get your knife. finely chop 1 – 2 stalks of celery and a half cup of carrot. Not so finely chop a half of a medium sized red bell pepper, a couple of tomatoes, and thinly slice a couple of green onions, white and green parts. Put them in a bowl and mix together. Pretty already, no?

Next chop 4-6 asparagus stalks and about 3/4 cups broccoli. I probably go closer to one cup, because I love the stuff. Bring your rice broth back to a boil and blanch asparagus and broccoli for 3 minutes.

If you chop your broccoli and asparagus on the same cutting board you used for the raw veggies and don’t wipe it off, your pot of green veggies should look like mine. Drain liquid and add to your bowl of raw veggies, along with your cooled rice.

Lastly, make your dressing. To a bowl add a half teaspoon of crushed garlic, 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice2 tablespoons red wine vinegar, and 3/4 of a teaspoon of dried, crushed oregano. Whisk together while adding about 3 tablespoons of olive oil. Or leave it out if you want a lower fat version. I would leave it in though. Olive oil is good for you. Then add your feta, about 1/4 cup or so, mashing up the bigger chunks with your whisk. It should look a little like this:

Gross.  Don’t worry, though. It mixes in. In fact, go ahead and do that now.

Normally it would be done now, and  I’d just dig into the bowl with a large spoon (not really.) (ok maybe once.), but as this was going to a barbecue, I prettied it up a little by adding some more feta and a sprig of fresh oregano.

This is serious summer yum.

Recipe: Wild Rice with Feta Cheese Dressing

6 cups chicken stock or ½ stock ½ water
1/2 cup wild rice
1/2 cup white rice
4-6 medium asparagus, chopped
1 cup chopped broccoli
1-2 stalk celery, chopped
1/2 cup chopped carrot
2 green onions, chopped

2 tomatoes, chopped
1/2  sweet red pepper, chopped

Dressing
1/2 tsp crushed garlic
2 T lemon juice
2 T red wine vinegar
¼ cup crumbled feta cheese
3/4 tsp dried oregano
3 T olive oil

1. In saucepan, bring stock to boil; add wild and white rice and reduce heat.  Cover and simmer for 25 to 30 minutes or until just tender.  Drain, reserving cooking liquid. Rinse rice with cold water, drain again, and place in serving bowl.

2. Blanch asparagus and broccoli in boiling water.  Add to bowl along with celery, carrot, green onions, red pepper and tomato; mix well.

3. Dressing: In small bowl, whisk together garlic, lemon juice, vinegar, cheese, oregano and oil until well combined.  Pour over rice mixture and mix well.  Serve at room temperature or chilled.