Wild Rice with Oven-Burst Grapes, Almonds, and Mint
At Mangia we roast fruit. Here it is grapes, a wonderful touch that softens their texture, "bursting" them as it concentrates their sweetness. With toasted almonds and fresh mint, this salad is finished with nothing more than cinnamon-scented olive oil.
Ingredients
- 1 cup wild rice
- 3 cups water
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup seedless red grapes
- 1 cup seedless green grapes
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil plus additional for roasting
- ¼ cup sliced almonds
- ½ cup mint leaves
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Instructions
- In a medium saucepan, combine the wild rice, water, and salt and bring the water to a boil over medium-high heat. Cover and cook over low heat until the grains start to swell but are still firm to the bite, about 45 minutes. Drain, transfer to a wide, shallow bowl, and set aside to cool.
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Wash the grapes and dry them. Put in a bowl, and drizzle with olive oil just enough to gloss them. Place the grapes on a baking sheet and bake until the skins burst, about 10 minutes. Let cool on the baking sheet.
- While the grapes are roasting, toast the sliced almonds, without oil, until lightly golden, about 10 minutes, in a small baking pan. Remove and let cool.
- Rinse the mint leaves and pat dry. Chop very coarse.
- In a large serving bowl, combine the wild rice, roasted grapes, mint, and almonds. Add the 2 tablespoons of olive oil and cinnamon and toss well to
- combine. Adjust the seasonings and serve.