A Wild Ride on the Half Shell

"Ooh... if ever there was a wild rice dish worthy of an award, it's this one. It's a well balanced appetizer, salad or vegetarian main course: the nuttiness of the wild and brown rice paired with a zippy vinaigrette, sweet, plumped fruit, nuts and creamy avocado. You can't go wrong with this one!"
 
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Ready In:
1hr 8mins
Ingredients:
13
Serves:
4
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ingredients

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directions

  • Combine vinaigrette ingredients in tightly covered container and shake vigorously until combined (10 seconds).
  • Alternatively, whisk the ingredients together by hand or give them a quick whiz in the blender or food processor.
  • Combine and chill the cooked brown and wild rice.
  • Preheat the oven to 350°F.
  • Pour boiling water over raisins and apricots in small bowl.
  • Let fruit stand 10 minutes, then drain and cool.
  • Place pecans on shallow baking pan; bake 5 to 8 minutes in preheated oven.
  • Remove from oven, set aside.
  • Toss rice, raisins, apricots, and pecans with vinaigrette; refrigerate for 1 hour.
  • Just before serving, halve the avocados.
  • Remove the seed by whacking a large knfe into the seed and twisting slightly-- that pit will pop right out!
  • Then take a soup spoon/tablespoon and, starting at the top of one half, slide the tip of the spoon into the avocado trying to keep as close to the peel as possible.
  • Gently move the spoon along the avocado until the flesh comes out.
  • You are just trying to scoop out the avocado to make a little bowl from each half shell.
  • Repeat this with all 4 halves.
  • Next, fill each half shell with rice salad.
  • Finally, slice each half of avocado flesh and place the slices on top of each shell.
  • It looks nice if you fan out the slices.
  • Serve immediately, or sprinkle avocado slices with a little lemon juice to hold for up to an hour before serving.

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Reviews

  1. This was wonderfull. Made the dressing as stated but use extra virgin olive oil and had no coriander so left it out. The rice was still warm when I used it. I left out the apricots and pecans because I had none but I added cucumber and spinach leaves which was wonderful. As well as some chopped onion and some blanched mushroom slices which I had to use before they went bad. I diced the avocado and folded them into the salad as well and just placed scoops on a plate rather than making little bowls. All in all this was a great dish. I loved my addition of cucumber and recomend trying it as it was very refreshing and, I think, goes well with the other ingredients. Next time I will try using come cashews, since they are the only nut my DH really likes and I think it would be nice in here. He, btw, took seconds and thirds (piled high on his plate). I served this along side of grilled steaks. I think it would also be nice with grilled or baked chicken and either one (chicken or steak) cut into pieces and placed on top of the salad would be a nice variation. I also thought that craisins (dried cranberries)would be nice (especially in the fall). It really is a wonderful dish that you can have lots of fun with. I am sure I will be making this often. It would be great for a potluck and I have been looking for something to take on hiking picnics with us and I think this would be great for that. Oh, and it was very good in a sandwich wrap for lunch today as well. Thanks for a great recipe.
     
  2. Well, this was really delicious! The combination of the wild and brown rice was really scrumptious, and adding the dressing, nuts, and fruit was spectacular. I admit, I left out the raisins, but I thought that the dried apricots added the perfect touch as a counterpoint to the coolness of the avocado (I only used half an avocado per serving, due only to calories & fat - I imagine it would be pretty incredible with the recommended amount of avocado). This was really delicious, and would taste wonderful warm in a baked acorn squash half, too. Lovely dish, rsarahl - glad I took the dare to make this one!
     
  3. This sounded like it would be good, and it was! I bought some wild rice awhile back and was looking for a good recipe to use it in. My husband can't eat nuts so I just served him the brown and wild rice with butter. He loved it! My daughter and I had the fruit and nuts in vinaigrette mixed with the rice.. Delicious! With the avocado, it made a filling dish and was enjoyed by all. Thanks so much!
     
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RECIPE SUBMITTED BY

I am a wife and mom of 2 vibrant little boys. They love to create and cook in the kitchen... I love their curiosity and willingness to try new foods and techniques as I introduce them. I love to cook... always have. Thanks to my father for this culinary passion! While I am addicted to collecting cookbooks, my dad taught me to experiment in the kitchen and gave me the gift of knowing that creative cooking doesn't have to come from a book.
 
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