Marinated Wild Rice with Mushrooms
Submitted by mikemohican
Marinated wild rice salad with porcini and white mushrooms, julienned carrots, walnuts, and Dijon vinaigrette. A make-ahead grain salad that gets better as it sits.
YIELD
6 servingsPREP
15 minCOOK
45 minREADY
3 hrsWild rice loves a vinaigrette. Its earthy, slightly tannic flavor mellows out when it soaks in oil and acid, and that’s the whole premise behind this make-ahead grain salad. A mix of wild rice and long-grain white gives you contrasting textures, while sweated porcini and regular mushrooms bring the woodsy, umami depth that turns this from side dish to centerpiece.
Julienned carrots deliver color and crunch, chopped walnuts bring buttery richness, and fresh parsley and chives keep the salad bright. The Dijon-mustard vinaigrette ties everything together with a tang that gets stronger the longer the salad sits.
Two hours of marinating is the minimum. Overnight in the fridge produces something even better. Pull from the fridge an hour before serving so the oils relax back into the dressing.
Kitchen Tips
- Cook the two rices together if they finish in similar time. Wild rice can take longer, so check both for tenderness before stopping the cook.
- Sweat the mushrooms with no oil. The water that comes out concentrates the flavor and avoids greasy salad later.
- Soak dried porcini in hot water for 20 minutes before slicing if using dried instead of fresh. Save the soaking liquid for soups or risotto.
- Toast the walnuts in a dry skillet for 3 to 4 minutes before chopping. Raw walnuts taste flat against the wild rice.
- Shake the vinaigrette right before each use. The oil and vinegar separate as it sits.
Variations
- Dried fruit: stir in dried cranberries or chopped apricots for a sweet contrast against the savory.
- Cheese-finished: crumble goat cheese or feta over the top right before serving.
- Roasted veg: replace raw carrots with diced roasted butternut squash for a fall version.
Ingredients
Directions
Combine water and bouillon cube in a heavy pot and bring to a boil.
Stir in the rices and return to a boil.
Lower heat, cover and simmer for 45 minutes, until the water has been absorbed.
Let rices cool to room temperature.
Slice all the mushrooms and sweat them in a skillet over moderate heat until they are just wilted.
Combine in a large mixing bowl with the rice and add remaining ingredients, including vinaigrette.
Cover and marinate for 2 hours before serving.
If making ahead, put in fridge and take it out 1 hour before serving.
VINAIGRETTE: Combine all ingredients in a cruet and shake until combined. Shake well before each use.
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