The Wild Side of Rice

Pasta salads don’t thrill me, probably because my Italian grandmother would never, short of starvation, have considered eating one. And I find rice salad just plain gluey.

But wild rice salad is another matter. On a visit to New York I was served a cold wild rice salad that was wonderful. It was lively, fresh, not the least bit gluey--and if you are looking for something new for lunch or supper, here it is. The ingredients are perfect together: wild rice, dried cranberries, toasted pecans and a little bit of orange zest. Make it in advance; this keeps well for one week.

If a little something more is needed to complete the meal, add cold chicken or sliced ham on the side. For dessert, serve coffee custard topped with whipped cream and crushed hard coffee candy.

WILD RICE SALAD

4 cups water

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup wild rice

1 1/4 cups dried cranberries

1 tablespoon orange zest

3 tablespoons melted butter

1 1/4 cups lightly toasted pecans

Put water and salt into large pan and bring to boil. Slowly stir in wild rice, turn heat to medium and let cook about 40 minutes. When rice seems almost tender, add cranberries and let cook another 5 minutes. Drain.

Add orange zest and butter. Stir and toss to mix well. Just before serving, add freshly toasted pecans. Makes 6 servings.

Each serving contains about:

264 calories; 454 mg sodium; 16 mg cholesterol; 17 grams fat; 26 grams carbohydrates; 5 grams protein; 0.89 grams fiber.

COFFEE CUSTARD

Butter

2 egg yolks

3 eggs

1/2 cup sugar

1/8 teaspoon salt

4 tablespoons instant coffee

3 cups very hot milk

1 cup whipping cream, whipped and sweetened with 3 tablespoons sugar

1 cup hard coffee candies, crushed

Butter 1-quart baking dish or 8 ramekins. Set shallow pan large enough to hold baking dish or ramekins in oven and fill with 1 inch hot water.

Beat yolks and eggs together just enough to blend. Stir in sugar and salt. Stir instant coffee into hot milk. Slowly add milk mixture to egg mixture, stirring constantly.

Strain mixture into baking dish or ramekins. Put into pan and bake at 325 degrees, about 45 minutes. Custard is set when knife inserted in center comes out clean. Remove and cool. Serve chilled with whipped cream and crushed candy on top. Makes 8 servings.

Each serving contains about:

209 calories; 114 mg sodium; 175 mg cholesterol; 11 grams fat; 23 grams carbohydrates; 7 grams protein; 0 fiber.