Wild Rice Salad

I post very few side dishes. They are too boring to post. Roasted vegetables, starches and salads although delicious, do not make for a very interesting food blog entry. This dish, however, is far from boring. The nutty fruity combination is easy to prepare, and has a fresh flavor. Bring this Ina Garten side dish to your next pot luck, and you are sure to impress. 

Ingredients
1 cup long-grain wild rice
2 1/2 tsp kosher salt
2 navel oranges
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp raspberry vinegar
1/2 cup green grapes, cut in half
1/2 cup pecans, toasted
1/4 cup dried cranberries
1 scallion, white and green parts chopped
1/2 tsp ground black pepper

Directions
1. In a medium saucepan over high heat combine rice, 4 cups water, and 2 tsp salt and bring to a boil. Simmer, uncovered, until rice is tender, 50 to 60 minutes. Drain and return rice to the pan. Cover and allow to rest for 10 minutes.
2. While rice is still warm, place it in a mixing bowl. Peel oranges with a sharp knife, removing all the white pith. Cut between the membranes and add the orange sections to the bowl with the rice. Add the olive oil, orange juice, raspberry vinegar, grapes, pecans, cranberries, scallions, 1/2 tsp salt, and pepper. Allow to sit for 30 minutes for the flavors to blend. Serve at room temperature. Serves 4 to 6.

From the book Barefoot Contessa: How Easy is That?