Wild Rice Salad with Green Beans and Toasted Pecans

Wild Rice Salad with Green Beans and Toasted Pecans accompanying Chicken Thighs with Caramelized Onions.

Since I've been on a kick to find sides (other than baked potatoes) to accompany our meat, I came across this one when reviewing Cooking Pleasures magazines in my possession. This one came from the January 2009 issue, which worked for me. For some reason, I find that I enjoy making "winter" food in summer. Not that I don't like them in winter. I do.

I followed the recipe almost perfectly. I didn't have apple cider so I used apple juice. Click the link for the original:

Wild Rice Salad with Green Beans and Toasted Pecans

SALAD

4 c cold water

2/3 c wild rice, rinsed

1 tsp olive oil

1 c sliced red onion

12 oz. green beans, halved diagonally, cooked (3 cups)

1/2 c pecan halves, toasted*

1 apple, unpeeled, diced**

3/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

VINAIGRETTE

1 c apple cider

2 tbsp olive oil

2 tbsp cider vinegar

2 tsp Dijon mustard

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

If you didn't catch that part in the ingredient list that your green beans need to be cooked, here's a reminder. Cook your beans.

Bring water and rice to a boil in medium saucepan; reduce heat to low. Cover loosely and simmer 45 to 55 minutes or until rice is tender. Drain. (There should be about 2 cups cooked rice.) Cool; refrigerate 20 minutes or until chilled.


Meanwhile, simmer cider in small saucepan over low heat 20 to 30 minutes or until reduced to 1/4 cup. Cool. Whisk in all remaining vinaigrette ingredients.

Heat medium skillet over medium-low heat until hot. Add 1 teaspoon oil; heat until hot. Cook and stir onion 5 to 7 minutes or until lightly browned and wilted.

Do yourself a favor and "de-ring" your onions. They'll probably cook more evenly, relieving you of having crunchy and mushy onions all at once.

Combine rice, onion, green beans, pecans and apple in large bowl; toss with 3/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Toss with vinaigrette.

TIPS

*To toast pecans, place on baking sheet; bake at 375°F for 4 to 6 minutes or until slightly darker in color. Cool.

**To prevent apple from browning, dip chunks in small bowl of water mixed with 1 teaspoon cider vinegar.

This recipe should have been easier than what I made it to be for myself. I neglected to notice that the green beans were cooked from the get-go. Hopefully, my notices will remind you. Here's another one, just in case: cook your green beans before you start. COOKED green beans are part of the ingredient statement. Yeah, I'm a little bitter about the time that wasted.

Since I'm not a big fan of having nuts in my food unless it's in a cookie or brownie or a cake, I'm not surprised I didn't completely love it. Rodney, though, did enjoy it. He ate it sorta caveman style. If I hadn't given him a fork, I don't doubt he would have shoveled it in with his fingers. No, that's not true, Rodney's directly opposed to eating rice-foods with his fingers.

Cost:

• wild rice: I bought this a while ago, I have no idea...maybe $2.99/8 oz
• red onion: $0.99/lb
• green beans: $1.99/lb
• pecan halves: $3.99/6 oz
• apple: $0.99/lb

Because I bought the above items at the rates estimated/listed, I'll assume I used all of each (though I didn't) to cover the other stuff I already had and didn't have to buy specifically for this recipe. That makes the grand total $10.95. Holy crap!!! But for 8 servings like the recipe says, that means it's $1.37 a serving. Looking at it that way changes things, eh?

If Rodney eats what is left of this salad (the other half), I'll consider making it again. If any of it goes to the worms, never again! The cooked green bean thing ruined it for me.

Oh, this dragged on about 2.5 hours for me. I bet money that if I'd read the recipe beforehand it would be way less than 2 hours.

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