Recipe Wednesday | Vinaigrette That!

Wild Rice, Kale & Artichoke Salad

Does your mate ever complain that your cooking does not have enough flavor?  One way to change that is to mix in a home-made vinaigrette.  Even your favorite dish can burst with flavor if you add some acid and rendered garlic in citrus juice to jazz it up.  This recipe does just that.  It gives a pop to a dish that might otherwise seem a bit boring and bland.   The same theory can apply to most dishes…fish, chicken, potatoes.  So, don’t be afraid to vinaigrette anything!

 

Ingredients

6 oz wild rice

1 oz butter

1 onion, finely chopped

2 oz button mushrooms

1 jar gourmet artichoke hearts, drained

1 bunch curley kale

2 tbls chopped parsley

1 tbls. lemon plus 1 tsp lemon juice

1 tbls fresh orange juice

1 small clove garlic, minced

½ tsp Dijon mustard

2 tbls. olive oil, divided

salt & pepper

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Cook the rice according to package directions in salted water until just tender.  Drain well and allow to cool.

Melt the butter in a pan, add the onion and fry slowly until golden, about 7-9 minutes.  Add mushrooms and cook for 2 minutes.  Stir into the rice.

Pull the kale leaves away from the stems into bite size pieces and place in a bowl.  Using one tbls. lemon juice and 1 tbls olive oil pour into your hands and massage the kale for a minute or two until it starts to wilt.  Season with a little salt & pepper.  Mix in the parsley and add to the rice mixture.

Put the remaining lemon juice, orange juice, Dijon mustard, garlic olive oil and salt & pepper in a jar and shake well.  Let sit for a few minutes so the garlic can render and not overpower the dish.  Pour over the salad and mix well.  Serves 4-6