Not Just Another Saturday Night

Hen of the Woods Mushroom Salad

This salad is intentionally delicious and accidentally vegan, and combines the smoky flavours of the grilled mushroom with the brightness of pickled beetroot, the freshness of crisp shaved fennel, and the fruity, floral aromatics of toasted wild rice and black walnut, making for a unique experience both in flavour and texture.

—M.Stilson

1⅓ cups wild rice
1 Spanish onion, peeled and halved
1 head of garlic, peeled and halved horizontally
1 bulb of fennel, peeled and halved
4 bay leaves
2 strips orange zest
1 carrot, peeled and halved
2 stalks of celery
2 to 3 tbsp salt
2 tbsp walnut oil, optional
6 tbsp sweet pickled beets with their liquid
3 tbsp black walnuts, toasted in a 350°F oven until aromatic (see Tip)
½ bulb of fennel shaved thinly (see Tip) and shocked in ice water for 30 seconds to crisp
3 tbsp confit shallot (see Tip)
1 tbsp fresh cut chive
1 tbsp fresh cut parsley
Salt to taste
200 g maitake (hen of the woods) mushrooms (or substitute bunched mushrooms such as king, oyster, or beech)
1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
Dill and puffed wild rice, for garnish, optional
Lemon, to taste

1. Toast raw wild rice on a cookie sheet with parchment paper at 350°F until it becomes aromatic. Put wild rice, onion, garlic, fennel, bay leaves, orange zest, carrot, and celery in a small stockpot, and cover with cold water. Bring to a rolling simmer on medium high heat, then turn it down to low heat, and cook until the rice grains begin to open up, approximately 40–45 minutes. Once the grains are open, take the pot off the heat, add salt, and let it sit for 5 minutes. Strain the cooked rice, spread it on a cookie sheet, remove aromatics, leaving only the rice, then drizzle with walnut oil (if using) while it’s still warm. Stir and let cool.