This salad with wild rice, lentils and grilled vegetables is more than just a salad; it’s a complete meal rich in fibre, protein, minerals and vitamins. You can eat it cold or heat it up. The grilled pinenuts add an extra nutty flavour. Make sure that you let the salad marinate before serving. For added flavour, you can sprinkle some Feta or Parmesan cheese on the top. Here’s the recipe:

Wild rice and lentil salad

Heat oven at 200°C / 400°F

Serves 6-8 (more for starters)

Level: Fun and easy

Salad Ingredients

1 cup green dried lentils – French Puy

1 cup wild or black rice

5 cups vegetable broth or water + veggie bouillon cube for boiling the lentils and rice*

A bunch of each – fresh parsley and coriander leaves chopped fine

About five mint leaves chopped fine

2 large sweet red peppers cut in large strips (quartered)

1 jar of artichoke hearts marinating in olive oil (about 8-10 hearts)

100 grams of pinenuts (pignons de pin)

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

A pinch of cayenne pepper

1/2 teaspoon paprika

Ground pepper

Sea salt

Option: A small side bowl of crumbled Greek Feta or coursely grated Parmesan cheese

Vinaigrette 

Whisk together:

Juice of one large lemon

1/4 cup olive oil

1-2 garlic buds pressed

* See procedure below for boiling the rice and lentils. For flavour, instead of a bouillon cube, you can also add a small carrot, a chunk of onion and garlic bud to the boiling water and pluck them out after the lentils/rice are done.

Procedure

Boil the rice and lentils separately:

Rinse and strain the wild rice. Bring to the boil 2 1/2 cups of broth or water with a veggie bouillon cube. Add rice, lower the heat and simmer with lid on for 30 minutes.

Rinse and strain the lentils. In another pot, bring to the boil 2 1/2 cups of broth or water with a veggie bouillon cube. Add lentils, lower the heat and simmer with lid on for 20 minutes.

Grilling:

While lentils and rice simmer, strain the artichokes (don’t rinse in water). Put them in a bowl with the red pepper chunks. Stir these two together without adding any oil since the oil from the artichokes will spread to the peppers. Spread on baking sheet and roast in pre-heated oven for 20 minutes or until veggies are dark brown in places. Take out and set aside.

Grill the pinenuts directly on stovetop in a small dry pan on medium-high heat and mixing often. Grill for a few minutes or until golden brown and fragrant. Transfer to a small bowl and set aside.

Putting it all together:

When the rice and lentils are done, strain and discard excess water. Transfer rice and lentils in a salad bowl. Add the balsamic vinegar, cayenne pepper, paprika, salt and pepper. Fold gently. Add the parsley, coriander, mint and pinenuts. Fold gently.

Slice the grilled peppers and artichokes into bite size chunks and add to the rice and lentils. Fold again.

Drizzle all of the vinaigrette into the salad and fold gently. Let the salad marinate for at least 30 minutes, mixing it from time to time so that the flavours merge.

Adjust pepper, salt or paprika.

Serve with a small side bowl of Feta or Parmesan cheese (dairy or vegan) for sprinkling on top and some crusty bread.

Bon appétit!