Featured Recipe
Wild Rice Apple Fennel Salad
By Kate
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A hearty salad combining wild rice, crisp fennel, tart apples, and earthy lentils with a tangy vinaigrette mellowed by molasses. Uses green lentils instead of Puy for texture variety. Adds diced celery for crunch and swaps apple cider vinegar for sherry vinegar for a subtle depth. Wild rice simmered until plump and split, then shocked cold to halt cooking. Fennel sliced paper-thin to avoid fibrous bitterness. Maceration with lemon juice softens fruit and tames sharpness. A splash of maple syrup replaces part of the molasses for nuanced sweetness. Tossed just before serving to avoid sogginess, offers distinct layers of flavor and texture throughout. Vegetables stay crisp, lentils hold shape, rice chewy yet tender.
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Prep:
30 min
Cook:
45 min
Total:
Serves:
6 servings
salad
whole grains
vegan
Introduction
Wild rice demands patience. Not the fluffiest grain, but substantial—each kernel a chewy husk of earthiness. Cook it too short, it’s raw; too long, mush. Watch for that split at the tip—that tells you it’s done, steaming and puffed. Fennel isn’t your typical salad leaf; slice thin or it’s stringy. Apples add brightness, but acid is key—lemon juice keeps them crisp and fresh, stops browning. Lentils for heft, green here instead of Puy; similar bite, easier to find. Raisins or currants add little sweet pops, but don’t drown the salad. Vinaigrette needs a hint of molasses, a splash of maple syrup to anchor acid and oil. Timing matters: combining last keeps your fruits and veggies from going soggy, keeps texture lively. No soft apples or mushy rice. When done right, this salad sings with contrasting textures and layers of flavor.
Ingredients
Rice
- 140 g wild rice (3/4 cup)
- 700 ml water (about 3 cups)
- 3 ml salt (1/2 teaspoon)
- 25 ml olive oil (1 1/2 tablespoons)
- 20 ml mayonnaise (1 1/3 tablespoons)
- 25 ml sherry vinegar (1 1/2 tablespoons)
- 25 ml fresh apple juice (1 1/2 tablespoons)
- 7 ml molasses (1 1/2 teaspoons)
- 7 ml pure maple syrup (1 1/2 teaspoons)
- 1 large bulb fennel
- 2 medium tart apples, cored, diced
- 20 ml lemon juice (1 1/3 tablespoons)
- 1 ml salt (1/4 teaspoon)
- 1 can (398 ml) green lentils, rinsed and drained
- 20 ml black currants or golden raisins
- 60 g celery, diced (about 1/2 cup)
Vinaigrette
Salad
About the ingredients
Wild rice is grittier than brown or white. Rinse well to remove dust, cook like pasta—gentle simmer, covered but vented so steam escapes but heat doesn’t drop drastically. Fennel is fibrous—thin slicing cuts bite, releases aroma, mutes any bitterness. Swap apples with pears or crisp quince if seasons call. Lentils here can be replaced with French green or even black beans for a different protein profile, but texture varies a lot—rinse canned lentils well to avoid canned taste. Using sherry vinegar in place of cider vinegar deepens complexity without making acidic bite sharp. Maple syrup softens molasses’ strong flavor and avoids cloying sweetness. Keep fruits and vegetables cold before assembly, ensures crunch and freshness. Celery adds extra crunch and vegetal sharpness very differently than fennel.
Method
Rice
- 1. Rinse wild rice under cold water until water runs clear. Combine rice, water, and salt in medium saucepan. Bring to rolling boil, cover partially, reduce heat just below medium, simmer gently. Peek through lid, watch grains swell and split open. Around 42 minutes, test grains—they should offer firm bite but not raw crunch. Once grains burst and plump with tiny tails visible, remove from heat. Drain in fine sieve, rinse under cold water to halt cooking and wash away surface starches. Expect cool, slick grains clinging loosely.
- 2. Whisk olive oil, mayonnaise, sherry vinegar, apple juice in small bowl. Add molasses plus maple syrup for layered sweetness—keeps sharp edges from vinegar in check but still bright. Little bitterness grounds flavor here. Set aside, let flavors merge. Taste balance here, adjust acidity or sweetness if you need.
- 3. Using mandoline, slice fennel bulb paper-thin—thin enough to bend but retain crunch. Place in large mixing bowl. Add diced apples and lemon juice, sprinkle salt over top. Let macerate 15 minutes minimum. Lemon juice not just flavor—breaks down apple texture slightly, prevents discoloration, also softens fennel just enough to not overpower crunch.
- 4. Add lentils, celery, and currants to fennel-apple mix. Stir gently to distribute evenly. Add cooled rice and vinaigrette last. Fold ingredients carefully to avoid squashing apples or crushing grains. Season with salt, black pepper to taste. Toss lightly, taste. Adjust seasoning with more lemon or oil if it feels flat.
- 5. Chill 10 minutes before serving to let flavors meld but keep textures distinct. Serve cold or room temp. Keeps well overnight but expect rice to absorb liquids and soften further.
Vinaigrette
Salad
Technique Tips
Focus on that split wild rice grain—it’s your doneness indicator, not a timer. Rinsing the rice with cold water after cooking stops carryover cooking and lifts excess starch, preventing clumping in salad. Mandoline slicing yields uniform thinness—a must for fennel’s texture. After lemon juice and salt meet apples and fennel, macerate at least 15 minutes. It softens fibers without mushiness, releases juices which mingle in final salad. Toss lentils, diced celery, and currants before adding rice and dressing—this layering helps keep crunchy parts crisp. Dress salad just before serving; if mixed too early, apples and fennel lose snap, textures blend too much. Taste throughout: salad is balance of sweet, tart, and savory. Adjust acidity with extra lemon or vinegar. Season last with salt and pepper only after full assembly. Salad can be made a few hours before but always re-toss before serving to redistribute dressing and revive crispness.
Chef's Notes
- 💡 Rinsing wild rice is key; removes dust, ensures even cooking. Not fluffy—not sticky. Should expand and split. Watch closely.
- 💡 Thin slices of fennel prevent stringiness; best tool is a mandoline. Thickness matters; too thick, texture suffers. Aim for flexible yet crisp pieces.
- 💡 Macerate apple with lemon juice—helps prevent browning. Adds zing and breaks down fibers slightly. Pair sharp with sweet; balance is essential.
- 💡 Maple syrup softens the sharpness of vinegar. Use it methodically. Adjust based on taste; too much and sweetness overpowers. Not an exact science.
- 💡 Add vinaigrette just before serving. Early mixing sogs up everything. Keeps textures distinct, layers intact. Toss gently but thoroughly.
