Brown Rice Salad with Leeks, Golden Beets and Kale
This rice dish celebrates all the best flavors of winter and early spring. Serve it as a side dish to grilled or braised meats or as a simple, vegetarian lunch.
Ingredients
- 2 Tbsp olive oil divided
- 3 leeks white and light greens sections, cut into rings, well washed
- 4 garlic cloves peeled and sliced
- 1 cup brown rice or brown rice mixture (wild rice, red quinoa, barley)
- 2 1/2 cups vegetable or chicken stock
- tsp salt plus salt and black pepper to taste
- 1 head kale tough ribs removed, leaves cut into small pieces
- 3 golden beets washed and trimmed, roasted in foil packet, cut into slices
Dressing:
- 1 orange zested and juiced
- 2 Tbsp white balsamic vinegar
- 2 Tbsp maple syrup
- 1 Tbsp Dijon mustard
- 1/4 cup olive oil
Instructions
- In a saucepan, heat olive oil to a shimmer over medium-high heat.
- Cook leeks and garlic until tender while stirring, about 5 minutes.
- Add rice and stir with oil and leek mixture, allowing to slightly toast the rice, for about 2 minutes.
- Add stock and salt, stir, then cover and cook for 30 minutes, or until rice is cooked but slightly firm.
- Cool and fluff with a fork.
- In a skillet, heat another tablespoon of olive oil, and cook kale until bright green.
- Remove from heat and place in a large bowl. In a small bowl, combine orange zest and juice, vinegar, maple syrup, Dijon mustard and olive oil. Whisk to combine.
- Mix the kale with the rice, beets and dressing. Season with salt and pepper, serve or hold in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.