Bergamot Rice Salad Food

POMEGRANATE RICE SALAD

Steps:

• Make the dressing: In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, vinegar, orange juice, zest, lemon juice, maple syrup, cumin, coriander, cinnamon, salt, and a pinch of pepper. Set aside.
• Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the scallions, garlic, pinches of salt, and pepper and cook for 1 minute until soft. Reduce heat to low and add the cooked rice, using the back of a wooden spoon to break up any clumps. Heat until warmed through. Turn off the heat and stir in the dressing, pistachios, parsley, and pomegranates. Top with mint leaves and roasted chickpeas, if using. Season to taste and serve.

THE WORLD OF RICE SALADS

Steps:

• Put the rice and all the vegetables in a large bowl. Drizzle with vinaigrette and use two big forks to combine, fluffing the rice and tossing gently to separate the grains.
• Stir in the parsley, taste, and adjust the seasoning or moisten with a little more dressing. Serve at room temperature or refrigerate for up to a day, bringing the salad back to room temperature before serving.
• Variations:
• Rice Salad, Japanese Style: Use brown or white short-grain rice. Halve the amount of celery and carrot and finely chop them or shred them on a grater. Add 1 cup cubed firm tofu (preferably baked). Instead of the vinaigrette, toss with 1/4 cup or so of Simple Miso Dipping Sauce (made by whisking together 6 tablespoons miso paste, 3/4 cup warm water or sake, 1 teaspoon sugar, 1 tablespoon mirin or honey, 1 tablespoon rice vinegar plus more to taste, and salt to taste). Instead of the parsley, crumble 2 sheets of nori over the rice salad and sprinkle with 2 tablespoons black or white sesame seeds.
• Rice Salad, Mexican Style: Long-grain or medium-grain, white or brown, all work well here. When blending the vinaigrette, add 1 tablespoon chili powder and 2 tablespoons Mexican crema or mayonnaise. Instead of celery and carrot, add 1 cup chopped fresh tomato. Substitute chopped fresh cilantro for the parsley and, at the same time, add 2 chopped hard-cooked eggs and chopped jalapeño chiles if you like. Serve with lime wedges.
• Rice Salad, Indian Style: Use brown or white basmati rice. When making the vinaigrette, use rice wine vinegar, replace the oil with coconut milk, and add 1 tablespoon curry powder, or more to taste. Instead of the bell pepper, celery, and carrot, add 1/2 cup each cubed cooked potato, cooked cauliflower florets, and green peas (cooked frozen are fine). Substitute cilantro for the parsley.
• Citrus Rice Salad: Use any rice. Instead of red wine vinegar, make the vinaigrette with freshly squeezed citrus juice-choose from lemon, lime, orange, blood orange, tangerine, pink grapefruit, or a combination. Whatever you use, add 2 tablespoons of the grated zest and 1 tablespoon of sugar or honey to the blender. Do not include the scallion or the vegetables. (You might want to use a little less dressing.) Instead of the parsley, use mint if you like. A handful of chopped almonds or pecans make a nice addition.
• Tomato Rice Salad: Use any kind of brown or white rice. When making the vinaigrette, eliminate the vinegar and add 1 medium tomato to the blender. Instead of the scallion and other vegetables, add 2 cups chopped fresh tomato (a mixture of heirloom varieties is nice).Instead of the parsley, use chopped fresh basil or mint, or 1/4 cup chopped fresh chives, chervil, dill, or about a tablespoon of fresh thyme leaves.

MEDITERRANEAN RICE SALAD WITH VEGETABLES

Steps:

• Bring water and rice to a boil in a saucepan. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until rice is tender and liquid has been absorbed, 18 to 20 minutes. Remove from heat and pour enough cold water on top of the cooked rice to cover it. Stir to cool. Drain well; transfer rice into a bowl. Stir in 1 tablespoon olive oil and season with herb salt.
• Mix capers, parsley, and lemon zest in a small bowl; add to rice. Mix in zucchini, carrots, yellow bell pepper, and red bell pepper. Season with remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil, lemon juice, and salt.

CITRUS RICE SALAD

Steps:

• For the Rice Salad:
• Place an oven rack in the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Arrange the almonds in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake for 5 to 6 minutes until lightly golden. Cool completely, about 15 minutes
• In a medium saucepan, bring the chicken stock, salt and oil to a boil over medium-high heat Stir in the rice. Cover the saucepan, reduce the heat, and simmer until all the liquid has been absorbed and the rice is tender, about 40 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and let sit for 5 minutes. Using a fork, fluff the rice and place in a large serving bowl. Add the parsley, orange zest, half of the lemon zest, green onions, and 1/4 cup of the almonds. Toss well.
• For the Vinaigrette:
• In a blender, combine the olive oil, orange juice, lemon juice, soy sauce, honey, and cumin. Blend until smooth. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
• Pour the vinaigrette over the rice mixture and stir well. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Garnish with the remaining lemon zest and almonds.

BERGAMOT RICE SALAD

Steps:

• Simmer rice in a pan of boiling water for 25 - 30 minutes until soft, then drain.
• Place the sliced mushrooms in a frying pan with the olive oil and cook gently for 4 minutes.
• Add the bergamot leaves and olives and mix together.
• Season to taste with salt and freshly ground pepper.
• Add the cooked rice to the mushrooms and other ingredients and toss together.
• Mix in the bergamot petals.

LEMON-HERB RICE SALAD

Steps:

• Remove 2 wide strips zest from 1 lemon with a vegetable peeler. Combine 1 strip zest with the vegetable oil in a small saucepan over medium heat and cook until the edges of the zest turn slightly golden, about 5 minutes. Let the lemon oil cool.
• Meanwhile, cook the rice as the label directs, adding the remaining strip lemon zest to the water. Transfer the rice to a large bowl, discarding the zest, and fluff with a fork. Let cool to room temperature.
• Meanwhile, make the dressing: Juice both lemons into a medium bowl. Add the vinegar, brown sugar, 1 1/4 teaspoons salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper and whisk until the sugar dissolves. Discard the zest from the lemon oil, then whisk the oil into the dressing. Add the onion slices and let marinate 15 minutes.
• Add the carrot, cucumber, peanuts, cilantro, mint, basil and watercress to the bowl with the rice. Add the dressing mixture and gently toss. Per Serving: Calories: 378; Total Fat: 15.5 grams; Saturated Fat: 1 gram; Protein: grams; Total carbohydrates: 55 grams; Sugar: 4 grams; Fiber: 1.5 grams; Cholesterol: 0 milligrams; Sodium: 159 milligrams

MEXICAN RICE & BEAN SALAD

Steps:

• Cook the rice following pack instructions. Drain, then cool under cold running water until completely cold. Stir in beans, onions, pepper and avocado.
• Mix the lime juice with the Cajun spice mix and some black pepper. Pour over the rice mix, stir in the coriander and serve with extra lime wedges.

GREEN RICE WITH BEETROOT & APPLE SALSA

Steps:

• Boil the rice for 20 mins, then add the green beans and cook 5 mins more until both are just tender. Drain and leave to cool slightly before stirring in the cucumber, spring onions, mint and lemon juice.
• Meanwhile, stir all the salsa ingredients together.
• Spoon the rice onto plates and serve with the salsa, scattered with a few extra mint leaves.