Native recipe

Wild rice salad

This recipe is from Mitsitam Cafe, National Museum of the American Indian.

1/2 cup pine nuts

1/4 cup pumpkin seeds

6 cups chicken stock

11/2 cup wild rice

1 carrot, cut into half-inch-long matchsticks

3 tablespoons dried cranberries

1 Roma tomato, finely diced

4 or 5 scallions, finely chopped

3 bunches watercress

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spread the pine nuts and pumpkin seeds in a small baking pan and toast them in the oven for about 10 minutes, until they are golden brown. Let cool.

Combine the chicken stock and wild rice in a stockpot. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, and simmer, covered, for about 45–55 minutes, until the grains are just opened up and tender. Spread the hot rice on a baking sheet and let cool.

When the rice is cool, scrape it into a large bowl and add carrots, dried cranberries, diced tomato, toasted pine nut and pumpkin seed mixture, and scallions.

Toss all of the ingredients together with the vinaigrette, refrigerate for at least 1 hour, and serve over watercress. Makes 4 to 6 servings.

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