Wild Rice and Cranberry Salad with Birch Balsamic Vinaigrette
From late September to early November, are in season in the Northwest Territories. Tart and tangy, they are a popular fall ingredient and are traditionally enjoyed by the Gwich鈥檌n people alongside loche liver. is caught through ice fishing, and the liver and eggs are cooked down with cranberries and sugar, bringing together ingredients harvested from the land and water. Beyond being a food source, cranberries have long been valued by Indigenous Peoples for their use in traditional medicines and natural dyes. In this dish, they are served with wild rice, butternut squash, and a birch balsamic vinaigrette.
Wild rice has been used by Indigenous peoples across North America for thousands of years. A semi-aquatic grass that grows abundantly across Central and Eastern Canada and the Great Lakes region, wild rice is prized for its nutty flavour and versatility. It pairs well with wild game, casseroles, and a variety of seasonal dishes. Today, much of the commercial production of lake and river wild rice is centered in Canadian regions. Learn more about wild rice .
Squash is believed to be the oldest cultivated food in North America. Traditionally it was dried and made into a flour by Indigenous peoples, unlike in this recipe, which uses the squash in a less traditional way. Squash is a part of the 3 sisters (corn, squash and beans) where each of the 3 sisters nurture each other when planted together.
Birch syrup is the key ingredient in the vinaigrette, and is made from birch sap. Traditionally birch sap was used as a beverage consumed either fresh or naturally fermented. fresh spring birch twigs make a nice wintergreen flavoured tea when steeped in hot water. Birch hardwood is valued for its strength and resistance to cracking. It is favoured material for making snowshoes, paddles, drum frames, toboggans and furniture. Young birch trees can be chopped down, stems, twigs and all into a large soup pot and boiled. Strained and jarred used for medicine that helps stomach ailments, heartburn and ulcers. Birch bark was made into baskets, plates, bowls, and Canoes, while any leftover bark trim was used as a fire starter.
Teetlit Gwich鈥檌n Language Lesson
Berries| Jak
Dried Fruits | Jak chao gaii
Birch | K'ii
Rice | Daatsoo trin
"Birch syrup takes twice as much sap to produce compared to maple. With its deep flavour and rich, dark colour, a little goes a long way.
Working Nation to Nation as an Indigenous Chef, I visited the community of Dettah in the Northwest Territories, where students at the local school actually produced an incredibly flavoured birch syrup that I use throughout many events.
This is a great way to highlight a product close to my home territory."
-Chef Stephanie
Meet The Chef
Steph Baryluk
Chef Steph Baryluk, a proud Teetl鈥檌t Gwich鈥檌n from Teetl鈥檌t Zheh (Fort McPherson), Treaty 11 Territory, draws deep inspiration from her Arctic upbringing, where hunting, fishing, and land stewardship shaped her connection to food and cultural heritage.
With more than 10 years of experience as a Red Seal Indigenous Chef, Steph is passionate about preserving and sharing Indigenous culinary traditions through education, culinary training, and community engagement.
Named one of Canada's Top 100 Most Powerful Women in 2024 and a recipient of the WXN Food Industry Award, Chef Steph is a leader in advancing Indigenous food systems. From community kitchens to the global stage, she combines her culinary expertise with advocacy to inspire future generations while promoting sustainability and celebrating Indigenous cultural heritage.
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