Rice Salad With Roasted Summer Vegetables Food

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.

RICE SALAD WITH ROASTED SUMMER VEGETABLES

Steps:

• In large saucepan, stir wild rice into broth and bring to a boil.
• Reduce heat to low, cover and cook 15 minutes.
• Add brown rice, stir quickly and recover.
• Increase heat for one minute, then reduce heat to simmer and cook, without opening, 45 minutes.
• Remove from heat and let stand, without opening, 10 minutes.
• Wash and trim vegetables.
• Leave peel on eggplant.
• Pour oil into very large bowl.
• Cut vegetables into 3/4-inch dice, leaving cherry tomatoes whole, and toss with oil in bowl.
• Line a large, rimmed baking sheet with nonstick liner.
• (You can substitute oiled foil as a liner, but you will lose a lot of flavor.) Turn vegetables into pan.
• Turn oven on to 400 degrees.
• Roast vegetables in oven while heating for 15 minutes.
• Stir into single layer and return to oven for about 30 minutes more or until fairly dry and lightly browned.
• Cool in pan on rack until vegetables stop steaming.
• Scrape vegetables and all the browned juices into the large bowl.
• Add cooked rice, toss.
• In small bowl, whisk together dressing ingredients.
• Pour over rice and vegetables; mix well.
• Serve room temperature or chilled.

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.

MINTY SUMMER RICE SALAD

Steps:

• Drop the rice into a pan of boiling salted water and cook for 10 minutes. Toss in the asparagus and cook for a further 3-4 minutes until the rice is completely cooked and the asparagus is only slightly crunchy. Drain into a sieve and hold under the cold tap until cool.
• When the rice is cold, stir in the red pepper, oil, lemon zest and juice, mozzarella and mint leaves. Season well.

ROASTED-VEGETABLE AND BROWN-RICE BOWLS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375°F. On a rimmed baking sheet, toss sweet potato, eggplant, and broccoli with 3 tablespoons oil; season with salt and pepper and spread in a single layer. Roast, stirring halfway through, until tender and golden in places, about 30 minutes.
• Heat a large skillet over medium-high. Swirl in 1 tablespoon oil. Add rice, scallion whites and light greens, and garlic; season. Cook, stirring occasionally, until rice is warmed through and has a nutty aroma, 4 to 5 minutes.
• Whisk together tahini, lime zest and juice, remaining 2 tablespoons oil, and 3 to 4 tablespoons water to reach desired consistency; season. Serve roasted vegetables over rice mixture, drizzle with tahini dressing, and top with pomegranate arils, reserved scallion tops, and sesame seeds.

SUMMER RICE SALAD

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine rice, tomatoes, onion and olives. In a small bowl, combine vinegar, oil, parsley, sugar and salt; mix well. Pour over rice mixture and toss to coat. Cover and chill for at least 2 hours. Serve in a lettuce-lined bowl if desired.