This salad is a favorite potluck item of mine – unique, fresh, light, sturdy enough to sit out, and tasty at room temperature. It’s easy to serve, and compliments beef, chicken, and starchy foods. You can certainly cook the rice ahead of time, which makes assembling the salad a 10-minute exercise.
Serves 6-8
• 1 lemon, juiced
• 1 teaspoon honey
• 1 shallot, minced or sliced thin
• Kosher salt
• Black pepper
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1/3 cup dried apricots, roughly chopped
• 1 fennel head, shaved thin on a mandolin or put through a food processor slicing blade
• 2 cups cooked wild rice
• ½ cup mint leaves
• 1 small head radicchio, cored and leaves pulled apart
• Handful of reserved fennel fronds (the small wispy green leaves)
1. In a bowl, whisk together lemon juice, honey, shallot, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, and oil. Add chopped apricots and sliced fennel; toss to coat.
2. Add in the cooked rice, mint, radicchio leaves, and fennel fronds. Season with additional salt, if desired. Spread out on a large platter and serve.
