Citrus Rice Salad Recipes

Steps:

• Cook rice in abundant salted water, as you would pasta, until it's just done; white rice will take 10 to 15 minutes, brown 30 or a little longer. Drain, rinse in cold water, drain again, then put in a large bowl.
• Combine olive oil, citrus juice, zest, sugar or honey, salt and pepper in a blender and turn the machine on; a creamy emulsion will form within 30 seconds. Taste and add more citrus juice a teaspoon or two at a time until the balance tastes right to you.
• Drizzle vinaigrette over rice. Use 2 big forks to combine, fluffing rice and tossing gently to separate grains. Stir in citrus flesh, onion and mint; taste, and adjust the seasoning or moisten with a little more dressing. Serve, sprinkled with Parmesan and chopped nuts, at room temperature, or refrigerate for up to a day, bringing salad back to room temperature before serving.

Steps:

• In a large saucepan, saute celery and onions in butter until tender. Add rice; cook and stir for 5 minutes or until lightly browned. , Add the orange juice, water and salt. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 20 minutes or until liquid is absorbed and rice is tender. , Remove from the heat. Gently stir in orange pieces; sprinkle with almonds.

Steps:

• 1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place the almonds on a baking sheet and cook for 5 minutes.
• 2. For rice salad: In a medium saucepan, bring the chicken broth, salt, and oil to a boil. Stir in rice. Place lid on the saucepan and reduce to a simmer for 40 minutes or until rice is tender. Let rice sit for 5 minutes then place in a large serving bowl. Fluff rice with a fork. After the rice has completely cooled, add parsley, orange zest, 1/2 of lemon zest, green onions, and 1/4 cup of the almonds. Toss.
• 3. For the vinaigrette: In a blender combine olive oil, orange juice, lemon juice, soy sauce, honey, and cumin. Blend until smooth. Season with salt and fresh ground pepper.
• 4. Pour the vinaigrette over the rice and toss well. Garnish with remaining lemon zest and almonds.
• 5. Serve at room temperature.

Steps:

• In a bowl, whisk together the first eight ingredients. Add beans; toss to coat. Cover and chill for at least 1 hour. Combine tomatoes, red pepper, celery and onions in another bowl; cover and chill., Meanwhile, in a skillet over high heat, saute rice in oil until golden brown, about 3 minutes. Add broth, juice, salt and pepper; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 20 minutes or until rice is tender and liquid is absorbed. Place in large bowl; add parsley and orange zest. , Cover and chill for at least 30 minutes. When read to serve, combine beans, vegetables and rice.

Steps:

• Combine rice and vegetables in a large bowl. Add the vinaigrette and stir to combine. Let the salad sit at room temperature for 30 minutes before serving. Garnish with desired herbs.
• Combine all ingredients in a blender and blend for 1 minute

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.

Steps:

• Bring 4 cups water, rice, and salt to boil in heavy medium saucepan over high heat, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat to low; cover and cook until rice is tender and water is absorbed, about 20 minutes. Uncover saucepan and cook rice over very low heat until dry, about 5 minutes. Transfer rice to large bowl and cool to room temperature.
• Whisk orange juice and next 5 ingredients in small bowl to blend.
• Add halved tomatoes, cucumbers, green onions, mint, and feta to rice in large bowl. Add dressing; toss to blend. (Can be made 8 hours ahead; cover and refrigerate. Bring to room temperature and toss before serving.)

Steps:

• Cook rice in abandant salted water, as you would pasta, until it's just done; white will take 10-15 minutes, brown 30 minutes or more. Drain, rinse in cold water, drain again, then put in a large bowl.
• Combine the olive oil, citrus juice, zest, sugar or honey, salt and pepper in a blender and turn the machine on; a creamy emulsion will form within 30 seconds. Taste and add more citrus juice a teaspoon or two at a time until the balance tastes right to you.
• Drizzle vinaigrette over rice. Use 2 big forks to combine, fluffing rice and tossing gently to separate grains. Stir in citrus flesh, onion and mint; taste, and adjust the seasoning or moisten with a little more dressing. Serve, sprinkled with parmesan and chopped nuts, at room temperature, or refrigerate for up to a day, bringing salade back to room temperature before serving.