This week we’ve got a very summery rice salad for you. It is great for picnics or barbecues, makes for a delicious lunch or light dinner and makes use of July’s seasonal vegetables that we so love.
This rice salad with various variations of vegetables, and with a mustard-olive oil-lemon dressing is a classic in Greek households. In my family we always prepare it on Clean Monday (the day which marks the beginning of lent in Greece), along with taramosalata. Then we use spring vegetables, so I’ve been very excited for this summer take on a family classic.
In this recipe, we used our Carolina rice, which comes from the area of Grevena in the northern part of Greece. Carolina rice is high in amylopectin (starch), making it the perfect ingredient for a creamy risotto or a rice pudding. But here, we’ve rinsed it well, so that we can use it as our base for this summer salad. For our dressing we’ve used a very special oil, made from semi-ripe olives crushed with fresh lemongrass and tarragon. It has an especially fresh flavour and intense aroma, pairing perfectly with our summer vegetables. This salad is great as is, but you can also add some grilled chicken or prawns if you prefer.
Serves 2
100g Carolina rice
1.5 cups of water
250g cherry tomatoes
1 large cucumber
1 small tub of Amfissa green olives
1 lemon, zest and 1 tbsp juice
1 tsp mustard
2 tbsp olive oil with lemongrass & tarragon
dried spearmint (to taste)
Salt, pepper (to taste)
Rinse the rice thoroughly, until the water runs clear. Place the rice and 1.5 cups of water in a medium-sized pot and over medium heat. Cook, covered, for around 20 minutes until all the water has been absorbed. Rinse under cold water and set aside.
Cut your cherry tomatoes in half and the cucumber in bite-sized pieces. In a large bowl whisk together the lemon zest and juice, mustard, olive oil with lemongrass & tarragon and spearmint. Add the rice to your bowl, along with your tomatoes, cucumber and olives, and gently toss everything together. Season with salt and pepper.
Serve cold or at room temperature.
