Wild Rice and Brussels Sprouts Salad

by Mill City Farmers Market Chefs, Tastemaker in Residence

Serves 6-10. A perfect splash of crunch and color for the Thanksgiving table!

Ingredients

For the Salad

1 pound Brussels sprouts, quartered lengthwise

1/2 a medium purple cabbage chopped into 1-inch pieces (no need to separate each layer)

3 medium leeks

2 medium unpeeled sweet potatoes, diced small (about 1/2 inch pieces)

Olive oil

Salt

Black pepper

Honey

1 bunch kale, ribs removed and leaves sliced thinly

1 1/2 cups wild rice, cooked in 5 cups water (about 5 cups cooked)

1 cup toasted, crushed almonds

Feta cheese, crumbled

For the Dressing

1/4 cup orange juice

1/4 cup champagne or white wine vinegar

1/4 cup olive oil

2 Tablespoons toasted sesame oil

2 Tablespoons tahini

3 tablespoons honey, more to taste if desired

Pinch of salt

Black pepper, to taste

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 400°F with your pan inside. You want it nice and hot so that it will instantly begin to brown your veggies.

Quarter your Brussels sprouts. Slice the leeks in half lengthwise and rinse thoroughly under cold running water, then dry them. Slice each half leek into ½ inch slices. Try to keep the moons in-tact so they cook at the same rate as the sprouts.

Drizzle brussels sprouts, cabbage, and leeks with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Toss to coat. Separately, toss sweet potatoes to coat.

Roast (sprouts, cabbage, and leeks together, sweet potatoes separately) on baking pan 25-35 minutes, stirring after 15. They are done when there are some nice brown caramelized pieces, some crispy pieces, and you can pierce the sprouts or sweet potatoes easily with a fork. Roasting time will depend on the size of your sprouts.

Note: If you do not have an oven to roast (or it is currently occupied by a turkey!), these vegetables can be prepared on a hot skillet, by adding adequate oil and salt, and sautéing, and stirring frequently until tender and caramelized-about 12-15 minutes.

For the dressing, combine all ingredients in a container that closes securely. Shake vigorously (i.e. as hard as you can.) or whisk, until emulsified. Shake it again before adding to the salad. Make sure you taste it – then adjust your salt, pepper, and honey.

Immediately after you remove your veggies from the oven, drizzle the entire pan with some honey – not a ton, just enough to add a little sweetness. Gently stir to coat. Combine rice, roasted vegetables, kale, and almonds in a large bowl; toss with dressing to taste. Sprinkle with feta and serve.