Rice Salad with Nuts and Sour Cherries

This salad from Yotam Ottolenghi's cookbook, Plenty More, has a lot going on and everything going for it. The mix of grains—white basmati rice, wild rice, and quinoa—is beautiful and texturally interesting; per his cooking times and methods, they are left with just a bit of firmness and keep their integrity once dressed. Almonds and pine nuts add toasty crunch, while dried sour cherries add chew and bursts of tart sweetness.

Yield:
6 to 8 servings
Category:
Salads and Dressings
Cuisine:
British
Prep Time:
1 hrs 0 min
Cooking Time:
10 min
Total Time:
1 hrs 10 min

INGREDIENTS:

  • Scant 1 cup (150g) wild rice
  • Scant 1 1/4 cups (220g) basmati rice
  • 5 1/2 tablespoons (80ml) olive oil
  • 2/3 cup (100g) quinoa
  • 6 1/2 tablespoons (60g) almonds, skins on, coarsely chopped
  • 7 tablespoons (60g) pine nuts
  • 1/4 cup (60ml) sunflower or grapeseed oil
  • 2 medium onions, thinly sliced (about 3 cups; 320g)
  • 1 cup (30g) flat-leaf parsley leaves, coarsely chopped
  • 2/3 cup (20g) basil leaves, coarsely chopped
  • 1/3 cup (10g) tarragon leaves, coarsely chopped
  • 2 cups (40g) arugula
  • 2/3 cup (80g) dried sour cherries
  • 1/4 cup (60ml) lemon juice, plus the grated zest of 1 lemon
  • 2 cloves garlic, crushed
  • Salt and black pepper

DIRECTIONS:

  1. Place the wild rice in a saucepan, cover with plenty of water, bring to a boil, and then turn down to a gentle simmer and cook for 35 minutes, until the rice is cooked but still firm. Drain, rinse under cold water, and set aside to dry.
  2. Mix the basmati rice with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Place in a saucepan with 1 1/3 cups/330ml of boiling water, cover, and cook over the lowest possible heat for 15 minutes. Remove from the heat, place a tea towel over the pan, replace the lid, and set aside for 10 minutes. Uncover and allow to cool down completely.
  3. Bring a small saucepan of water to a boil and add the quinoa. Cook for 9 minutes, then drain into a fine sieve, refresh under cold water, and set aside.
  4. Place the almonds and pine nuts in a small pan with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil and a pinch of salt. Cook over medium-low heat for about 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Transfer to a small plate as soon as the pine nuts begin to colour and set aside.
  5. Heat the sunflower oil in a large sauté pan and add the onions, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and some black pepper. Cook over high heat for 5 to 8 minutes, stirring often, so that parts of the onion get crisp and others just soft. Transfer to paper towels to drain.
  6. Place all the grains in a large bowl along with the chopped herbs, arugula, fried onion, nuts, and sour cherries. Add the lemon juice and zest, the remaining 3 1/2 tbsp olive oil, the garlic, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and some pepper. Mix well and set aside for at least 10 minutes before serving.

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