This may be the most unique salad I’ve ever eaten. Hats off to Hannaford for this one. I know I’ve consumed a lot of cranberries under many different circumstances in my day, but I don’t think I’ve ever tried them alongside baby greens, sweet potato and wild rice. What a combination. This was one good, and very filling, salad. That’s for sure.
The Recipe
Okay, so here goes. This salad has got cranberries, rice, potatoes, sweet onion, brussels sprouts, walnuts, Parmesan cheese and the best maple syrup and mustard vinaigrette. You’ll have to use your imagination for this one, but I don’t think it’ll be very tough to deduce that this is a tasty combination. When I find these recipes, I don’t really look through them for too long. I quickly scan the ingredient list and look at a few photos, just to make sure I can do what need to be done. Many times, what I end up with is a surprise. This salad was a surprise. The very distinct flavors of the cranberries complemented and contrasted the other flavors in the salad very well. They aren’t to be underestimated.
Ingredients
Serves: 8-10
For the Salad
1 Cup Wild Rice Blend
1 1/2 Pounds Sweet Potatoes, Cut into 1/2 Inch Pieces
3 Tablespoons Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
2 Cups Fresh Cranberries
1 Sweet Onion, Chopped
2 Tablespoons Maple Syrup
1 Pound Brussels Sprouts, Sliced Thin
3/4 Cup Walnuts, Chopped and Toasted
3/4 Cup Parmesan Cheese, Shaved
4 Cups Baby Greens
Salt
Ground Black Pepper
For the Vinaigrette
1/3 Cup Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
1/4 Cup Lemon Juice
2 Tablespoons Maple Syrup
2 Tablespoons Pub Style Mustard
1/2 Teaspoon Salt
1/2 Teaspoon Ground Black Pepper
Step-by-Step Instructions
I’d like to thank Hannaford for this recipe. I pulled it from their Fresh magazine and it’s just perfect, like so many other of their recipes.
Pre-Heat Oven
Arrange your oven racks so one is in the middle position and then pre-heat the oven to 450 degrees.
Cook the Rice
Read the directions on the bag of rice you purchased and cook accordingly. Mine said to add two cups of water to a medium saucepan and bring the lightly salted water to a boil over high heat. Then, once boiling, add the rice, cover the pot and let cook for 30 minutes or until tender. When the rice is cooked, turn off the heat and drain any liquid out of the pan, if necessary. Then, spread the rice on a baking sheet and let cool.
Roast the Potatoes
Place the sweet potatoes in a large bowl, along with one tablespoon olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper. Toss to coat the potatoes and then spread them on a baking sheet. Place the sheet in the oven for 30 minutes. When finished, remove the potatoes from the oven and place them in a bowl.
Roast Cranberries & Onion
Add the cranberries and onion to a large bowl, along with two tablespoons of maple syrup and one tablespoon of olive oil. Mix everything together well until the cranberries and onion are well coated. Then, spread these ingredients out on a large baking sheet and place the sheet into the oven for 15 minutes. During this time, the cranberries should cook nicely and the onion should soften. When finished, remove the baking sheet and turn off the heat to the oven. Place the contents of the sheet in a bowl.
This is the before view for this step.
Fry Brussels Sprouts
Warm a large skillet over medium heat on your stove top. When the pan is to temperature, add the final tablespoon of olive oil to it, along with 1/2 teaspoon salt and then add the sliced brussels sprouts. Stir and cook this ingredient for about ten minutes or until it’s somewhat softened.
Prepare the Vinaigrette
Add the vinaigrette ingredients; olive oil, lemon juice, maple syrup, mustard, salt and pepper to a medium sized bowl and whisk everything together well.
Assemble the Salad & Serve
Add the ingredients to salad bowls in layers. First start with the rice on the bottom and then add a layer of sweet potatoes. Next, add the brussels sprouts and the cranberry/onion mixture. Finally, add the baby greens on top, only to be topped with walnuts and Parmesan cheese. And then, finally again, drizzle the vinaigrette dressing over each salad. Wow, this is really something else.
The Final Salad
I can’t stress how tasty this salad is enough. I loved it and I’m definitely going to be making it again. Most likely for a holiday dinner with guests. I think it’ll impress them. Anyway, if you decide to give this one a try, please let me know your thoughts in the comment section down below. Thanks for reading!
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