This is a hearty salad. It can be served either as an appetizer or it can be satisfying as a main meal.
Yield: about 6 cups
Ingredients for Salad
- 3 cups cooked wild rice (how to cook wild rice)
- 2 large beets, diced (how to cook beets) (about 1½ cups)
- 1 can chickpeas, drained or about 1½ cups cooked chickpeas (how to cook dry beans)
- ¼ cup onions, diced
- ½ cup walnuts, chopped
- 1 large orange, peeled and cut into pieces or use canned mandarin orange segments
- salt and pepper to taste or 2 Tbsp Ume Plum vinegar (adds subtle salty tang)
Ingredients for Balsamic Reduction (other variations for salad dressing at bottom of this page)
- ½ cup dark balsamic vinegar
- 2 Tbsp maple syrup
- 1 clove garlic, minced or use garlic press
Instructions
- Add to a large bowl the wild rice, beets, chickpeas and onions then set this aside.
- Make the balsamic reduction by putting the balsamic vinegar and maple syrup in a small saucepan. Over medium heat, bring mixture to boil then turn down heat and allow mixture to simmer until volume is reduced to a scant about a third. (Scant ½ cup). Stir occasionally and take care it doesn’t burn. Stir in the minced garlic, simmer briefly to cook the garlic then allow mixture to cool.
- Pour the balsamic reduction over the salad ingredients. (If reduction is too thick warm it a bit and add little more balsamic vinegar to get desired pourable consistency). Toss well to combine. The reduction will generously moisten the rice, beets and chickpeas.
- Taste and if desired add a generous sprinkle of Ume Plum vinegar, then toss again.
- Can be served immediately or chilled. Garnish with walnuts and pieces of oranges. Keep leftovers in air tight container, in fridge, up to 5 days.
Other Salad Dressings
Substitute with other ready made balsamic reductions or other flavored vinegars. Other flavors that I found delightful include:
- De Nigris Glazé classic original Use about 1/3 to a scant ½ cup.
- Evoolution Carra Carra Orange Vanilla white balsamic vinegar mixed with white balsamic. When using this combination mix together 3 Tbsp flavored vinegar to 2 Tbsp white balsamic.
Where to find Evoolution Flavored Vinegars near you.