If you don’t yet know about Yotam Ottolenghi, the influential chef and restaurateur from the U.K. via Israel, it’s time to take a look. His books include Ottolenghi, Jerusalem, Plenty and Plenty More, plus he writes a column in The Guardian.
The recipes use with a lot of whole grains, uses meat sparingly and spices up his dishes with bold flavors, influenced by the Middle East. Irene contributed this recipe to our Ottolenghi-influenced meal of Blood Orange Braised Chicken with Buckwheat and Rice salad with Dried Cherries and Hazelnuts. (Even dessert was Ottolenghi: Apple and Olive Oil Cake with Maple Icing. Delicious!)
[amd-zlrecipe-recipe:34]
Buckwheat and Rice salad with Dried Cherries and Hazelnuts
Irene says this is a BIG salad. If it’s just a foursome, she recommends reducing the amount of rice and grains by 1/3. She also doubled the lemon and the garlic, added a bit of honey (maybe 1 tsp) and maple syrup (also 1 tsp), as well as some champagne vinegar (1 T).
130g wild rice
150g basmati rice
125g kasha (roasted buckwheat)
1 lemon, zest peeled, and juiced
130ml olive oil
1 clove garlic, peeled and crushed
100g dried sour cherries
75g hazelnuts, roasted and lightly crushed
5 spring onions, thinly sliced
Salt
30g parsley, roughly chopped
10g basil leaves, torn
10g tarragon leaves, roughly chopped
30g rocket leaves
Bring a medium pot of water to a boil, add the wild rice and boil gently for 35-40 minutes, until the grains start to pop open and are al dente. Rinse under cold water and leave to drain.
Put the basmati rice in a small saucepan with 300ml cold water. place on a high heat and bring to a boil. Turn the heat to low, cover and steam for 10-12 minutes until cooked. Remove from the heat, set aside for five minutes with the lid still on, then fluff up the rice with a fork, spread out on a plate and leave to cool.
In another small pan, bring 220ml water to a boil. Turn the heat to very low, stir in the buckwheat, cover and cook for six to eight minutes; stir once or twice more. Set aside for a few minutes with the lid on, then spread on a plate and leave to cool.
Meanwhile, put the lemon skin in a small frying pan, add the oil and place over medium heat. When the skin starts to bubble, remove from the heat and set aside to cool.
Once both rices are cool, mix them in a large bowl with the buckwheat, garlic, cherries, hazelnuts and spring onions. Discard the lemon from the oil, pour the oil over the rice, then stir in two tablespoons of lemon juice and a teaspoon of salt.
Just before serving, stir in the herbs. Spoon some rice on a serving dish, top with a little rocket, and repeat so you have a nice layered effect. Serve immediately.
