Wild Rice and Hearts of Palm Salad Recipe

After making the hearts of palm crostini, my husband Lulu asked for more. I decided to make a healthier hearts of palm dish this time. I served the veggie in a wild rice salad with refreshing greens such as sugar snap peas, celery and flat-leaf parsley. A little sprinkling of sunflower seeds for crunch and crumbled blue cheese for a richer mouth feel completed the dish.

If cooked improperly, wild rice can be very tough and taste like horse food. Follow the few steps I’ve outlined, and you’ll get soft, delicate rice with a nutty flavor.

1. Info for Wild Rice and Hearts of Palm Salad Recipe

• Cook Time: 40 mins
• Total Time: 2 hrs
• Servings: 6
• Calories: 201kcal

2. Ingredients for Wild Rice and Hearts of Palm Salad Recipe

• 1½ cup wild rice
• 8 cups vegetable broth
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ½ pound sugar snap peas
• 1 (15.4-ounce) can hearts of palm, rinsed and drained
• 3 tablespoon grapeseed oil (or any neutral oil)
• 1 clove garlic, peeled, crushed and finely minced
• 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
• 1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
• 1 teaspoon miso paste
• 4 celery stalks, peeled and cut into ½”-pieces
• 3 tablespoons sunflower seeds
• 3 tablespoons crumbled blue cheese
• ½ teaspoon black pepper
• 3 tablespoons flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped

3. Directions:

1. For the hearts of palm: Drain tand cut the hearts of palm inhalf crosswise, then cut the pieces in quarters lengthwise.
2. For the dressing: In a mini-food blender, combine the garlic, mustard, vinegar, miso paste and grapeseed oil. Mix well. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside.
3. Wash the rice thoroughly, discard any dirt. Drain as much water as possible.
4. Bring the broth to a boil in a small pot. Add the rice. Bring the liquid back to a boil, then immediately decrease the heat to low. Stir well to make sure the rice is submerged in liquid; that way the rice will cook even all the way through. Cover with a lid, so the liquid doesn’t evaporate too fast. Cook for about 1 hour and 20 minutes. Add a pinch of salt half-way through the cooking process (it will bring out the natural nutty flavor of the rice and make it more tender). Once the water evaporates, check doneness (add more water if not fully cooked and cook a bit longer). Add the dressing, let cool and set aside.
5. How to prep sugar snap peas: Wash the sugar snap peas. To trim them, snap the ends between your fingers and pull out the fibrous strings on each side of the vegetable.
6. Boil the sugar snap peas in salted water for about 3-4 minutes. Drain the liquid and immediately transfer to an iced water bath. Pat dry on paper towels.
7. Season with salt and drizzle with 1-2 teaspoons oil. Set aside.
8. In a large serving bowl, combine the rice, hearts of palm, sugar snap peas, and celery. Toss well. Add the sunflower seeds, crumbled blue cheese and parsley.
9. Bon appétit!