Smoked pheasant and wild rice salad

 

1 lb. Wild Rice

2-8 oz. Smoked Pheasant Breast, or 1 whole Smoked Pheasant, boned and diced

2 Granny Smith Apples, diced

½ medium-sized Red Onion

1 Red Bell Pepper, diced

1 Yellow or Gold Pepper, diced

3 ribs of Celery, diced

1 cup dried tart Cherries

1 cup Port Wine

1 cup Pinenuts, toasted in oven until light brown

4 oz.  Hazelnut Oil

2 oz.  Balsamic Vinegar

4 oz. Pure Maple Syrup

 

Boil Cherries in Port Wine until they absorb most of the wine and cool.

 

Boil Wild Rice in 2 quarts of lightly salted water until tender (about 30 – 45 minutes).  Drain and rinse in cold water.  When rice is well-drained, place in a large mixing bowl and add smoked pheasant, apples, red onion, red and yellow peppers, celery, half of the roasted Pinenuts and cooled cherries.

 

In small bowl, combine hazelnut oil, maple syrup and balsamic vinegar.  Pour mixture over rice mixture.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.  Transfer to serving bowl and top with remaining Pinenuts.