Provençal Rice Salad Food

COLD PROVENçAL WHITE BEAN SALAD

Steps:

• Thoroughly rinse the beans and place them and the water in the slow cooker insert. Cover and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours, or until the beans are tender. Quickly and gently pour them into a colander and drain them. (You can reserve the cooking water and use it to thicken soups or stews.) Transfer the beans to a serving bowl.
• In a small bowl, combine the vinegar, oil, mustard, and garlic. Blend thoroughly with a whisk or an immersion blender.
• Pour the dressing over the beans and mix thoroughly. Add the green onions, olives, and salt and pepper to taste, and toss by hand (or if you must, using spoons).
• Serve either chilled or at room temperature on lettuce leaves and garnish with the tomato wedges.

GRILLED TUNA RICE SALAD PROVENCAL

Steps:

• Combine the rice with 1 1/2 cups water, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat, cover and simmer, cooking a total of 17 minutes.
• Meanwhile, slice the onions about 1/4-inch thick. Prepare a stove-top grill.
• Wash and dry the tuna. Grill the tuna according to the Canadian rule: measure the fish at thickest part and cook for 8 to 10 minutes to the inch.
• Grill the onions, turning once or twice, until they are soft.
• Wash, trim and coarsely chop the peppers.
• Heat a nonstick pan until it is very hot. Reduce the heat, add oil and saute the peppers until they are soft.
• Mince the garlic, and add to the peppers.
• Wash, dry and chop the oregano, and combine it in a serving bowl with the vinegar, yogurt and mayonnaise. When the tuna is done, cut it up into small chunks and stir the chunks into this mixture. When the onions are cooked, cut them up coarsely and add. Then, add the sauteed pepper and garlic.
• Mix in the rice, and season with salt and pepper.
• Wash, trim and slice the tomatoes, and serve with the rice salad and bread.

PROVENCAL PILAF

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• In an oven-safe saucepan with a tight-fitting lid, heat oil until it shimmers. Add diced onion and sauté until soft and translucent, 3-5 minutes. Add garlic and sauté 30-60 seconds, until fragrant. Add rice and stir until rice turns opaque and smells nutty, 2-3 minutes. Add bay leaf, salt, pepper, herbes de Provence, orange zest and chicken broth. Bring to a boil.
• Stir pot once. Cover pan with a damp dish towel, apply the lid, and fold the corners of the towel up over the lid. Transfer to oven and bake 15 minutes.
• Remove pot to counter and leave UNDISTURBED 20 minutes. DO NOT remove the cover. At the end of this time, turn rice out onto a platter, remove bay leaf and orange zest, add olives and fluff with a fork before serving.

CHICKEN RICE PROVENCAL

Steps:

• Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat, add oil and heat through. Add chicken and cook until lightly browned, about 6-10 minutes (I think the key to this recipe is to sear and caramelize the chicken.).
• Add mushrooms, onion and garlic. Reduce heat to medium; cook and stir 5 minutes or until onion is lightly browned. Stir in tomatoes, broth, salt and oregano; bring to boil.
• Reduce heat to simmer; cover and cook 30 mins., stirring once or twice.
• Just before serving stir in parsley. You can also add the rice at this time and heat through or serve over rice.