Leftover Wild Rice Salad

This makes a great summer lunch. You may even want to take it on a picnic, even if you're just sitting on a park bench during a lunch break.

You can close your eyes and pretend you're in the French country side, lounging in the afternoon sun with a bottle of wine and a volume of Baudelaire. But, if you're going to indulge in this reverie, make sure you aren't sitting under a tree filled with pigeons.

4 cups cooked wild rice
2 carrots, grated
1 medium yellow pepper, diced
2 medium celery stalks, diced
2 scallions, chopped
l cup green seedless grapes, cut in half
1/4 cup orange juice
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

Put the rice, carrots, yellow pepper, celery, scallions, and grapes in a medium mixing bowl. In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the orange juice, vinegar, mustard, and salt. Drizzle in the olive oil as you continue whisking.

Pour the dressing over the salad and toss until the rice is coated.

Serve immediately or refrigerate in a well-sealed container for up to 6 hours.

Note: If you want to prepare this more than 6 hours ahead of time, store the rice mixture and dressing separately and toss them together just before serving.

From:

The Working Stiff
by Bob Sloan
Chronicle Books
1998, Hardcover, US $15.95
144 pages
Line art throughout
ISBN 0-8118-1885-3
Reprinted by permission.