Blueberry Basil Black Pepper Wild Rice Salad with Honey Vanilla Olive Oil Dressing
After crafting a version of this culinary delight years and years ago, I recently dreamt about recreating it with a healthy dose of wild rice. It became a revisit and a reinvention of a hearty salad made with wild rice, juicy blueberries, and the bold, unexpected magic of black pepper. I’d intended to use feta, only to realize I’d grabbed jalapeño feta (absolutely not the vibe), so blueberry Stilton stepped in and transformed the whole thing into something slightly sweeter, deeply aromatic, and completely irresistible. If you prefer a tangier edge, go for the feta, but whatever you do, don’t hold back on the black pepper. Who knew blueberries and pepper were such a perfect pair? The result is a beautiful, satisfying salad served at room temperature, with the option to add shredded chicken if you want a little extra protein. And yes, the dressing of vanilla, honey, olive oil, and more black pepper sounds unusual, but trust me, my flavor instincts haven’t steered you wrong yet. Even add ...
