As a Saskatchewan girl, I wanted to create a dish that made the most of our agricultural bounty. The shocking bit: this lovely entree is wheat-free! This recipe showcases Saskatchewan ingredients that may surprise you. For example, did you know that Saskatchewan is second only to India in chickpea production? Or that we produce more wild rice than any other province? The honey and cumin are farmed here too, and the tomatoes, chives, dill and arugula all come from my own garden. This dish is also lovely cold. Any heirloom tomato could replace the yellow ones, but if I can't get a good garden tomato for that hint of sweetness, I would tend to add dried sour cherries (also from Saskatchewan) as a winter variation. Omit the chevre, and you have a vegan dish. Of course, the perfect accompaniment to this warm salad is a slice of crusty bread made from, yes, you guessed it, wheat!
- Portion size 6 servings
- Credits : Andrea Richardson
Ingredients
Method
Add wild rice to a large pot of boiling salted water. Set timer for 35 minutes.While the rice is cooking, toast the cumin seeds in a dry skillet over medium heat for 2-3 minutes, or until they start to smell tasty and toasty. Grind the toasted seeds in a spice grinder.
In a glass jar with a tight fitting lid, add the cumin, honey, vinegar, and oil, and shake well. Do a little dance and hum some music to go along if you like. Now you can seed and chop those tomatoes, and chop up the herbs and wash and spin the arugula.
Wipe the skillet with a clean towel, and toast the pine nuts for a few minutes, until they too are smelling tasty and toasty. Set aside.
Once the timer goes for the wild rice, check to make sure it is almost done, if so, add the chickpeas to the pot, and cook a few more minutes until the rice is tender. Drain the water from the rice and chickpeas.
Off the heat, add the dressing to the pot and stir. Add the tomatoes, chives, dill and arugula and stir gently. Add freshly ground sea salt and pepper to taste. Scoop into large soup or pasta bowls, garnish with crumbled chevre (goat cheese) and pine nuts, and serve with a nice slice of crusty bread.
