Wild Rice Salad with Corn and Black-Eyed Peas

This hearty wild rice salad, embellished with corn, black-eyed peas, veggies, and herbs, is an invigorating melange of flavors, textures and colors. It's an attractive dish to serve at room temperature, any time of year, at buffets, potlucks, and holiday gatherings. Photos by Evan Atlas.

Serves: 8 or more

½ cup wild rice
½ cup long-grain brown rice
3 medium carrots, peeled and thinly sliced
2 large celery stalks, finely diced
3 to 4 scallions, thinly sliced
15- to 16-ounce can black-eyed peas, drained and rinsed
3 cups cooked fresh corn kernels (scraped from 3 to 4 medium-large ears)
3 tablespoons olive oil
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
Juice of ½ to 1 lemon, to taste
¼ cup chopped fresh dill
¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Toasted pumpkin seeds for topping, optional

Combine the wild rice and brown rice in a saucepan with 3 cups water. Bring to a slow boil, then cover and simmer gently until the water is absorbed, about 30 minutes.

Combine the cooked grain with the remaining ingredients in a serving container while still hot and stir together.

Serve warm, or allow to cool to room temperature before serving. Either way, top with a scattering of pumpkin seeds, if desired.