Wild Rice Salad with Figs and Nuts

If possible, use several different kinds of dried figs.  You can also use any kind of nuts that you like as long as they are unsalted, toasted and broken into bits.  Toast each different kind of nut separately by putting them in a dry sauce pan over medium heat, stirring continuously until the nuts start to turn tan.  To not let them darken.  If the nuts burn, throw them out and start over because they will ruin the salad.

Place water and salt in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil. Add rice. Decrease heat to medium-low and simmer (covered) until rice is tender, anywhere from 45 minutes to an hour and a half depending on how dry the rice as and how chewy you like it. Drain well and let cool. In a large bowl, combine cooled rice, figs, toasted nuts, green onion tops, celery and red onion. In a bowl, combine vineger, lemon juice, mustard and sugar. Add olive oil and mix well. Drizzle over rice mixture, season with salt and pepper to taste, and toss to combine.  Taste and add more oil or lemon juice as needed.

This recipe increases very well.  We usually use unsalted chicken stock made with lots of ginger, garlic, coriander as well as regular stock vegetables in place of water for cooking the rice.

Here are the amounts for the quantity-cooking version from the 2004 Winter Solstice Party!  This makes a lot of salad!

8 cups wild rice

2 gallons chicken stock

scant 1/4 cup salt

3 quarts mixed dried fruit, chopped

2 quarts mixed toasted nuts, chopped

2 big bunches scallion tops, chopped

2 cups celery, minced

3 cups red onions, minced

1/2 cup lemon juice

1/2 cup olive oil

1/4 cup dijon mustard or to taste

1 cup balsamic vinegar or to taste