Wild Gitigan Salad

Name: Wild Gitigan Salad
Cuisine: European, Italian, Mediterranean
Ingredients: 4 sprigs fresh thyme; 1½ cups whole wild rice; 3 cups low-sodium vegetable broth; 1 cup cooked black beans (if using dried beans, 1/3 cup dried yields 1 cup cooked); 2 bunches (about 8 cups) kale; 1 cup baby tomatoes or ground cherries, rinsed and halved; ½ cup grated pecorino Romano cheese or parmesan cheese; Juice of 1 lemon (about 2 tablespoons juice); 1 tablespoon fresh grated lemon zest; ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil; ¼ teaspoon salt & freshly ground black pepper