NEW ZEALAND BROWN RICE SALAD

Standard

New Zealand Brown Rice Salad

SERVES 6

1 cup brown rice
2 kiwi fruits

1 granny smith apple
1/2 cup celery, thinly sliced
1/2 cup red pepper, strips
1/4 cup walnut pieces
1/4 cup green onion, sliced
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley or 1 Tablespoon if dried
3 tablespoons sherry wine vinegar
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

Cook rice in water according to package directions. Drain and cool.

Peel kiwifruit and cut into 1/4″ thick slices. Cut slices in half to form semi circles.

Core and dice apple into 1/2″ cubes.

Toss together rice, kiwifruit, apple, celery, red pepper strips, walnuts, green onions and parsley in salad bowl.

Mix together vinegar and oil. Drizzle over salad. Toss to mix well.

Cover and refrigerate 1-2 hours, to allow flavors to blend, before serving.

GREEK SALAD

Standard

All the goodies don’t forget the Oregano like I did.

GREEK SALAD

Ingredients

4 Medium juicy tomatoes, preferably organic tomatoes
1 Cucumber, peel stripes lengthwise, makes the salad jazzy
1 green bell pepper, cored
1 medium red onion
Greek pitted Kalamata olives
Salt
4 Tablespoon good quality extra virgin olive oil
1-2 T red wine vinegar
8 oz or more creamy Greek feta cheese
1/2 T quality dried oregano or 1 T if you have fresh, finely chopped

Instructions

Cut the tomatoes into wedges or large chunks.

Cut the partially peeled cucumber in half length-wise, then slice into thick halves

Thinly slice the bell pepper into rings.

Cut the red onion in half and thinly slice into half moons.

Place everything in a large salad dish. Add a big handful of the pitted kalamata olives.

Season very lightly with salt.

Combine olive oil and red wine vinegar and shake it.

Give everything a very gentle toss to mix; do NOT over mix, this salad is not meant to be handled too much.

Now add a generous amount of feta on top then sprinkle on oregano and serve.

 

POLYNESIAN RICE SALAD

Standard

POLYNESIAN RICE SALAD

1 Cup long grain rice
1/4 Cup Canola oil (or a light vegetable oil)
1/4 Cup cider vinegar
1/4 tsp. salt
3 tbsp. soy sauce
1 c. thinly sliced celery
2 Cups thinly sliced carrots
1 Cup green peas
4  green onions chopped
1 can water chestnuts drained
1Cup sliced and quartered avocado (or mushrooms if you insist)
1 Cup orange slices
1 Cup chopped pineapple

1 Head of Butter lettuce washed and drained

Cook rice according to package directions. Cool.

Combine oil, vinegar, soy sauce, salt, celery and onion tops. Stir in to cooled rice. Fold in the remaining vegetables chestnuts, mushrooms pineapple and oranges. Chill. Serve on lettuce leaves.

 

Makes 8 servings.

 

Salad for Jeanne des Armoises

Standard

A NICE ROASTED PEAR AND ALMOND SALAD

4 firm pears (any variety)

3 tablespoons sugar

2 tablespoons butter

6 cups salad greens

4 ounces blue cheese, crumbled

Honey-Roasted Almonds

Honey Vinaigrette

Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Cut pears in half; core and peel  if desired. Sprinkle cut side with sugar.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Melt butter in a large skillet over moderate heat. Place pear halves in butter, cut side down. Cook 2 to 5 minutes until cut surface is golden. Remove pear halves and place, cut side up, in a lightly greased roasting pan.

Bake 30 minutes, or until pears are tender. Place hot pears on a bed of salad greens. Sprinkle blue cheese and Honey-Roasted Almonds over salad. Drizzle with Honey Vinaigrette and sprinkle with additional pepper to taste. Serve immediately.

***If you are short on time, slice the pears thinly and caramelize them in a skillet, omitting the baking step completely, or simply slice the pears and serve raw.

Honey-Roasted Almonds (Guess the ingredients)

3/4 cup almonds

2 tablespoons honey

Stir together almonds and honey. Spread on a lightly greased baking sheet. Bake 15 to 20 minutes at 325 degrees, stirring after 10 minutes. Spoon onto waxed paper to cool.

Honey Vinaigrette

1 shallot, minced

2 tablespoons honey

1/4 cup champagne or white wine vinegar

1 tsp Dijon mustard

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

3/4 cup olive oil

Combine all ingredients in a jar, cover tightly, and shake it like a virgin at a BBQ.