This rice dish is based on the traditional Greek salad. It’s delicious with grilled meats. Serve at your next summer barbecue. It makes a very flavorful chilled side salad filled with rice and vegetables, and dressed with oil and vinegar.
Mediterranean Rice Salad
Ingredients:
2 Garlic cloves, finely chopped
1/2 Cucumber, peeled and diced
1 Red onion, peeled and thinly sliced
2 Sun-dried tomatoes, finely chopped
1 Fennel bulb, halved and thinly sliced
6 Ripe plum tomatoes, cut into wedges
1 Red pepper, quartered and deseeded
1 Yellow pepper, quartered and deseeded
250 g/9 oz Red rice
2 teaspoon Red wine vinegar
2 teaspoon Balsamic vinegar
4 tablespoon Oil from a jar of sun-dried tomatoes
Fresh basil leaves, to garnish
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Procedure:
Cook the rice in a saucepan of lightly salted boiling water for 35-40 minutes, or until tender. Drain well and reserve.
Whisk the sun-dried tomatoes, garlic, oil and vinegars together in a small bowl or jug. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Put the red onion in a large bowl, pour over the dressing and leave to allow the flavors to develop.
Put the peppers, skin-side up on a grill rack and cook under a preheated hot grill for 5-6 minutes, or until blackened and charred. Remove and place in a plastic bag. When cool enough to handle, peel off the skins and slice the peppers.
Add the peppers, cucumber, tomatoes, fennel and rice to the onions. Mix gently together to coat in the dressing. Cover and chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to allow the flavors to mingle.
Remove the salad from the refrigerator and leave to stand at room temperature for 20 minutes. Garnish with fresh basil leaves and serve.
Here’s another variation of the salad the Vegan Style:
This dish was created specifically for potluck sharing.The bright flavors of this Mediterranean Rice Salad make it the perfect side dish for anything grilled.
