Wild Rice Salad with Roasted Beets, Cucumbers, and Dill

Ingredients

1 cup (175 g) uncooked wild rice

Kosher salt

1½ pounds (675 g) beets, trimmed, peeled, and cut into 1-inch (2.5 cm) chunks

Extra-virgin olive oil

Freshly ground black pepper

1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

1 pound (450 g) cucumbers, preferably small Persian (mini) ones, peeled, seeded, and cut into ½-inch-thick (1.25 cm) slices

1 bunch scallions, trimmed including ½ inch/1.5 cm off the green tops), sliced on a sharp angle, soaked in ice water for 20 minutes, and drained well

½ cup (120 ml) Yogo Ranch Dressing (page 313)

¼ cup lightly packed (7 g) roughly chopped fresh dill

½ cup (60 g) walnuts, lightly toasted and roughly chopped

4 ounces (115 g) feta cheese, broken into small chunks

Directions

Place the wild rice in a medium saucepan with 1 teaspoon salt and water to cover by about 3 inches (7.5 cm). Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to a lively simmer, cover, and cook until the wild rice is fully tender and most of the grains have opened up, about 45 minutes. Check on occasion to make sure the water hasn't cooked off. All the water may not be absorbed, so drain thoroughly. Set aside.

Meanwhile, heat the oven to 375°F (190°C).

Toss the beets with 2 tablespoons olive oil, season generously with salt and pepper, and spread in an even single layer on a sheet pan (use two pans if necessary to avoid overcrowding the beets). Roast until the beets are tender and getting browned and slightly shriveled, 15 to 30 minutes, depending on the density of your beets. Transfer to a bowl, sprinkle with the vinegar, toss, and let cool.

Assemble the salad in a large, wide serving bowl: Spread the wild rice on the bottom of the bowl. Distribute the cucumbers and scallions over the rice, then drizzle about one-third of the ranch dressing over all. Arrange the beets in a layer on the cucumbers, distribute the dill and half the walnuts on the beets, then drizzle with another third of the dressing. Finish with the feta, the remaining walnuts, and the rest of the dressing.

Toss right before serving, making sure everyone gets bites of everything in their portion.

Notes

I love the flavor profile of this dish, with wild rice providing a robust platform for earthy roasted beets and the husky flavor of walnuts. You could swap chunks of roasted carrot for the beets or use a combination of the two. Cucumber and feta are bright accents, along with garlicky-herby Yogo Ranch Dressing (page 313). If you don't have time to make that dressing, you can substitute your favorite store-bought ranch or season some plain yogurt with lemon juice, salt, and pepper to taste.

—Serves 4