Wild Rice Salad with Green Beans, Cherry Tomatoes, Avocado & Grapefruit

February 10, 2014 by Laura Haugen 7 Comments

My ultimate salad is a mixture of flavors, textures and colors that is fresh, and never boring. This rice salad has been a favorite of mine since my host mother in Paris used to prepare it for me many years ago. She would use brown rice, which lends it a softer texture, but I like the toothsome feel of this black wild rice contrasting with the soft avocado and grapefruit. I would never have guessed that avocado and grapefruit would pair so nicely together, but tasting is believing.

Wild Rice Salad with Green Beans, Cherry Tomatoes, Avocado & Grapefruit

Serves 2

• 1 cup black wild rice
• 3 cups water
• 2 tsp. Japanese rice vinegar plus a pinch of sugar to taste
• 1 tsp. olive oil
• spritz of fresh lemon juice
• sea salt & freshly ground pepper
• 10 green beans
• 4 cherry tomatoes
• 1 avocado
• 1 grapefruit

Directions: Cook the wild rice with the water according to package directions. Meanwhile, mix rice vinegar with a pinch of sugar and let sit until the sugar dissolves. Combine the cooked rice in a large bowl with the rice vinegar, olive oil, lemon juice, and salt & pepper. Steam the green beans for 2-3 minutes, until just softened but still retaining a snap to the bite. Using kitchen scissors, cut the beans into 1-cm. pieces and add to the rice. Cut the cherry tomatoes int 1/8 wedges and add. Mix the contents of the bowl well, taste and adjust seasonings, then spoon into individual bowls. Cut the avocado into strips and fan them out on top of each bowl. Slice off the skin & pith off the top and bottom of the grapefruit, then cut in arcs along the sides to remove the rest of the skin & pith. Cut out the segments of grapefruit and add them to the bowls in an alternating pattern with the avocado. Sprinkle any remaining grapefruit juice over each bowl, spritz with more lemon (the citrus will keep the avocado fresh). Serve immediately or wrap well and chill for up to a day.