Categories: Salads, Vegetarian, Rice/grains 
      Yield: 6 servings 
  
    3/4 c  Wild rice                                - (See RECIPE) 
    1/2 ts Salt                                1 sm Fennel bulb 
    1/2 c  Hazelnuts                                - cut into small squares 
      5 tb Currants                            1    Crisp apple 
      1 lg Orange, juice only                       Freshly ground black pepper 
           Citrus Vinaigrette                       Salt 
           - with Hazelnut Oil             
  
  PREHEAT OVEN TO 350F. Rinse the wild rice, and soak it in water for a half 
  hour, then drain. Add 4 cups fresh water and salt, and bring to a boil. 
  Cook, covered, at a simmer until the grains are swollen and tender, but 
  still chewy, about 30 to 35 minutes. Pour the cooked rice into a colander 
  and let it drain briefly. While the rice is cooking, toast the hazelnuts in 
  the oven, 7 to 10 minutes, or until they smell toasty. Let them cool a few 
  minutes; then rub them in a small kitchen towel to remove most of the 
  skins. Don't worry about any flecks of skins that won't come off. Roughly 
  chop the hazelnuts, leaving the pieces fairly large. Rinse the currants in 
  warm water and squeeze them dry; then cover them with the orange juice and 
  let them soak until needed. Prepare the vinaigrette. Add the soaked 
  currants and the fennel to the warm rice, and toss with the dressing. Just 
  before serving, cut the apple into small pieces, add it to the rice, along 
  with the hazelnuts, and toss. Season with freshly ground black pepper, and 
  additional salt, if needed, and serve. 
   
  Deborah Madison, "Prodigy Guest Chefs Cookbook"