Wild Rice and Fruit Salad

By zeenieme

Ingredients

• 2 cups wild rice
• 1 T butter
• 1 red apple, cored and cut into 1/4 inch dice
• Pinch of ground cloves
• 3 T extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 small red onion, cut into 1/4 inch dice
• 1 stalk celery, cut into 1/4 inch dice
• 1 small carrot, peeled and cut into 1/4 inch dice
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/4 cup currants
• 1 1/2 tsp coarse salt
• 1 tsp. freshly group pepper
• 2 T apple-cider vinegar
• 3 T balsamic vinegar
• 1 T fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 cup slivered almonds, toasted

Preparation

Step 1

1. Bring a medium saucepan of water to a boil. Add rice, reduce heat, and simmer until rice is tender and most of the kernels have burst, about 55 minutes. Drain, rinse under cold water, and set aside in a large bowl.

2. Melt butter in a medium skillet. Add apple and cloves, and saute until golden, about 3 minutes. Transfer to bowl with rice. In same skillet, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium heat. Add onion, celery, carrot and garlic. Saute until onions are translucent and just beginning to brown, about 6 minutes. Transfer to bowl with rice mixture; add currants. Season with salt and pepper.

3. Return the skillet to the heat; add cider, balsamic vinegar, lemon juice and 2 tablespoons water. Heat, whisking constantly, until mixture has reduced by half, about 2 minutes. Whisk in the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil; set aside. Drizzle dressing over salad, and toss to combine. Serve at room temperature or chilled, garnished with toasted almonds.

Can be made a day ahead