The primary reason I kicked off this blog was to help teach cooking-phobes and rookies how to cook. When I hear about success stories I love it. “I tried your ___ recipe and it turned out great!” is music to my ears. Recently, I successfully managed to teach this recipe to a cooking novice and am proud that they embraced the recipe and have even made it their own.
Now I wouldn’t be me if I didn’t point out that asparagus is very much fresh and in season right now. I am a firm believer in cooking foods that are in their peak and this is a great recipe to highlight the deliciousness that is fresh asparagus. Just make sure when purchasing that all of the asparagus in the bunch are about the same size – so either all skinny or all thick. For this recipe I prefer thinner asparagus.
This recipe is completed with the Tangy Walnut Vinaigrette posted on this site. I’ll repeat the recipe and ingredients so you don’t have to bounce between recipes or print out extra pages. Just know if you like the dressing the recipe is available on its own.
Asparagus and Wild Rice Salad – 1 Knife (Adapted from The New York Times “Getting Your Grains – and Greens, too”)
Salad Ingredients:
- 1 cup wild rice or wild rice blend
- 1 bunch asparagus
- 1/3 cup shelled walnuts (optional)
- ground black pepper (optional)
- salt (optional)
Dressing Ingredients:
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 garlic clove
- ¼ cup walnut oil
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
Prep:
- Wash the asparagus and trim off the tough ends, usually about 1-2 inches up the bottom of the stalk. Discard these.
- Cut the asparagus into 1 inch pieces. Set aside.
- Chop the walnuts roughly into pieces and set aside.
Cook:
- Cook the rice according to the directions. To add extra flavor use chicken or vegetable stock instead of water.
- While the rice cooks remove the skin from the garlic and chop into a fine mince, or use a garlic press to smash the garlic.
- Add the garlic to a bowl, measuring cup, or jar (really whatever container of your choice).
- Add to the container the lemon juice, vinegar, salt, and mustard and whisk until combined. If you don’t want to use a whisk you can use a fork for whisking.
- Add the oils to the container and whisk until everything is combined. Set aside.
- Steam the asparagus over 1-2 inches of boiling water in a steamer basket in a covered saucepan for about 4 minutes or until tender. If you do not have a steamer, boil the asparagus for a few minutes in water until slightly tender – just be careful not to overcook and strain the asparagus from the water immediately after boiling.
- When the rice has finished cooking combine it in a bowl with the asparagus, walnuts, and the dressing. Stir so that everything is coated in dressing.
- Sprinkle in salt and pepper to taste if preferred and stir well.
- Serve the salad and enjoy!
