Brown and Wild Rice Salad with Dried Cranberries

This is from the legendary Delia Smith. I served it with Salmon with couscous crust & tomato and olive salsa, and it was a delicious and light summer meal.

Ingredients >     120 ml brown basmati rice (I used red rice and it was also tasty) >     55 ml wild rice >     25 gm dried cranberries >     2 tsp flavourless oil (sorry, I used olive, which has flavour, and it still was tasty) >     25 gm walnuts, roughly chopped >     2 medium and ripe tomatoes >     4 cm of cucumber (more if cucumber is narrow – think of a British cuc’s size), diced >    1 small, red-skinned apple, cored and finely chopped >     2 spring onions, finely chopped (or 2 shallots, finely chopped, and snipped chives) >     Salt and freshly milled black pepper Dressing >     1 clove garlic, peeled >     ½ tsp salt >     ½ tsp mustard powder >     1 ½ Tbsp good-quality white wine vinegar >     3 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil >     Freshly milled black pepper

Steps 1.    Heat 1 tsp oil in a small pan, add the wild rice and toss it around to coat the grains. 2.    Pour over 120 ml boiling water and add a little salt. Give it one stir, put on the lid, and turn down the heat to the lowest flame. Cook for 50 minutes. 3.   Same procedure for the brown rice. In a large pot use 225 ml water and cook for 40 minutes. 4.   While the rice is cooking, prepare the dressing. a.   Crush the garlic and salt, and then add the mustard powder. b.   Use a whisk to add the, vinegar, olive oil, and plenty of black pepper. 5.   Heat the oven to 180 degrees C, spread the walnuts on a baking sheet, and place them in the oven for 8 minutes. Put a timer on so that they are not burnt. 6.   Place the tomatoes in a bowl and pour boiling water over them, so that they are covered, and leave for exactly one minute. Remove them from the water and peel of the skins. 7.   Halve the tomatoes and squeeze out the seeds. Then chop them into small pieces. 8.   When both types of rice are cooked, mix them together in a serving dish and add 2 – 3 tablespoons of the dressing. Make sure that the dressing is well incorporated and leave the rice to cool. 9.   When cool, mix in the cucumber, tomatoes, apple, cranberries and either 2/3 of the spring onions, or the shallots. 10.  Drizzle the remaining dressing over the salad and make sure that everything is thoroughly combined and coated in dressing. 11.  Finally, scatter the walnuts and the remaining spring onions (or chopped chives) over the top.

Salmon with couscous crust & tomato and olive salsa

This is from the legendary Delia Smith.

Ingredients >  4 x 150 gm boned and skinned fillets of salmon > 150 gm medium couscous >  20 ml dry white wine >  3 pinches of saffron stamens >  1 egg, beaten >  Salt and freshly milled black pepper Tomato and Olive Salsa >  225 gm tomatoes >  75 gm black olives > 1 large clove garlic > 110 ml olive oil > 1 Tbsp lemon juice > 1 Tbsp white wine vinegar > 1 tsp grain mustard > 1 Tbsp chopped parsley >  Salt and freshly milled black pepper

Steps Place the couscous in a bowl. Heat up the wine until just simmering. Whisk into it the saffron stamens and some salt and pepper. Pour over the couscous grains and leave until the liquid is absorbed. Fluff the couscous by making cutting movements across and through it with a knife. Prepare a lightly-greased baking sheet. Place the beaten egg in a bowl that can hold a salmon fillet. Season each salmon fillet with salt and pepper, and dip it first in the egg and then in the couscous. Press the couscous firmly all around the fillet and place each it on the baking sheet. If you are not making it immediately, cover with cling film and place in the refrigerator. Prepare the salsa:           a. Skin, deseed and chop the tomatoes               very small.           b. Pit the olives and then chop them the              same size as the tomatoes.          c. Crush the garlic with 1 tsp rock salt,              and then add the mustard, vinegar,              lemon juice, olive oil, and plenty of              black pepper.          d. About half an hour before serving, add              the tomatoes, olives and chopped              parsley.      12.   When ready to eat, pre-heat the oven             to 90 degrees C, and bake the salmon             fillets for 15 to 20 minutes.      13.   Serve each one with the salsa, and            serve the remaining salsa separately.