Orange-Pistachio Wild Rice Salad

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If you think of whole grains as brown and boring, consider this enticing dish your wake-up call. It's loaded with color and exciting flavors, it's simple to make and it's incredibly versatile.

Cooking two types of whole-grain rice together - brown and wild - yields an intriguing, tender-toothsome texture and deep taste with no extra effort. Juicy orange segments, crisp red onion, aromatic basil leaves and a bright vinaigrette dressing provide big, fresh flavor - and crunchy pistachios bring out the nuttiness of the grains.

This dish is an ideal accompaniment for roasted poultry or meat, and because it is served at room temperature, it is perfect for potluck or to serve on a buffet.

And if you're lucky enough to have leftovers, you'll also love it for lunch the next day.

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Ingredients

  • For the salad:
  • 2/3 cup brown rice
  • 2/3 cup wild rice
  • 3 cups low-sodium chicken broth
  • 1 orange, peel and pith removed, segmented and sliced (about 2/3 cup)
  • 10 large basil leaves, sliced into ribbons (about 1/3 cup)
  • 1/4 cup minced red onion
  • 3 tablespoons chopped pistachios, lightly toasted
  • 1 teaspoon finely grated orange zest
  • For the dressing:
  • 1/3 cup red wine vinegar
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon orange juice
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
  • 1 teaspoon honey
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt

Preparation

Step 1

Combine brown rice, wild rice and chicken broth in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to a simmer and cook until all water is evaporated and the rice is fully cooked, about 45 to 55 minutes. Remove from heat and cool completely.

Toast the pistachios in a small dry skillet over medium-high heat until fragrant, about 3 minutes, stirring frequently; cool.

Grate the zest from the orange; measure 1 teaspoon and set aside. Cut the top and bottom off the orange. Stand it on one end and remove the rest of the peel and wooly white pith by cutting down the orange, following its curve with your knife.

Then remove each orange segment from the membrane.

When the rice is cool, add orange sections, basil, red onion, pistachios and orange zest; mix to incorporate.

For the dressing:

Whisk together the red wine vinegar, olive oil, orange juice, mustard, honey and salt in a small metal bowl. Pour over the rice mixture and toss. This salad will keep in the refrigerator in an airtight container for a day or two.

Nutritional Information:
Per serving
280 calories
36 g carbohydrates
8 g protein
13 g fat (2 g saturated)
3 g fiber
0 mg cholesterol
150 mg sodium

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