Cold Bacn Rice Salad Food

RUSTIC BACON-RICE SALAD

Steps:

• Combine ingredients.
• Refrigerate 3 hours.

COLD BAC'N RICE SALAD

Steps:

• Cook rice according to package directions, substituting broth for water.
• Once rice is finished - while still warm, mix with green onions (to wilt them a little), a squeeze of lemon juice, and dressing.
• After cooled, add in the rest of the veggies & sprinkle with bacon bits (and nuts, if using). Toss well.
• Let set in the fridge for a few hours before serving so the flavors can meld together. Best if settled overnight. The longer the salad rests, the better it is!
• Serve on top of a bed of lettuce & garnish with fresh parsley and ground pepper.
• *(Salt can be added, although I've found that the bacon bits and Italian dressing are enough for us!).
• *Red peppers, sliced mushrooms, cucumbers, grape tomatoes, frozen thawed peas or the sugar snap variety, raisins, mandarin oranges, and toasted pecans or almonds would make great additions to this salad. I prefer the original, but add whatever you like!

RICE AND BEAN SALAD

Steps:

• Soak 1/2 cup minced red onion in cold water, 10 minutes; drain and rinse. Grate 4 halved plum tomatoes into a bowl. Add 3 tablespoons olive oil, the juice of 1 orange, 1/2 teaspoon cayenne, 1 diced bell pepper, the onion, 1 drained can pinto beans and 1 teaspoon salt. Stir in 2 cups cold cooked rice and some chopped cilantro and scallion. Season with salt and pepper.
• Calories: 336; Total Fat: 12 grams; Saturated Fat: 1.5 grams; Protein:10 grams; Total carbohydrates: 48 grams; Sugar: 8 grams; Fiber: 9 grams; Cholesterol: 0 milligrams; Sodium: 693 milligrams Photograph by Antonis Achilleos

SPINACH RICE SALAD

Steps:

• Combine Italian dressing, soy sauce and sugar in a large salad bowl and mix well.
• Add rice and mix.
• Chill covered until ready to serve.
• Add rest of ingredients just before serving and mix well.

COLD WILD RICE SALAD

Steps:

• Discard seasoning packets from the rice and place rice in a large saucepan. Stir in chicken broth and bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce heat to low and simmer, covered, until water is absorbed, about 25 minutes. Spread rice on a baking sheet to cool.
• While the rice is cooling, toast pine nuts in a dry frying pan over low heat until golden brown, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove to a large bowl.
• Add walnut oil to the same pan, then add walnuts. Toast until golden brown, 3 to 5 minutes. Add walnuts to the pine nuts.
• Add cooled rice to the nuts, along with bell peppers, celery, cranberries, and scallions; toss well.
• Blend rice vinegar, basil, Dijon, garlic, and pepper for dressing in a food processor. Slowly drizzle olive oil and walnut oil through the chute with the motor running until combined.
• Add dressing the the rice salad and toss well. Chill for 4 hours before serving.

RICE, MUSHROOM & BACON DELIGHT

Steps:

• Lightly saute bacon & mushrooms;drain.
• Combine with rice, onions & tomatoes.
• Add mayonnaise & toss lightly; season & chill.
• Serve in a lettuce lined bowl.

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.

AUSSIE RICE SALAD

Steps:

• Combine rice, vegetables and bacon bits.
• Mix soy sauce, mayonnaise, allspice and cilantro.
• Stir sauce into rice mixture and serve.

WILD RICE SALAD

Steps:

• Combine rice, water and salt together in a large pot and bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 50 to 60 minutes.
• Drain rice and chill.
• Combine the chilled rice with the vegetables, fruit, and nuts.
• Whisk vinegar, oil, garlic, salt, pepper, oregano, mustard and honey.
• Starting with 1/3 cup of the dressing add to the rice mixture and blend.
• Taste and adjust with more or less to suit your personal tastes.