August 2023 is a great time for Italy’s favorite summer dish: the classic Rice Salad (source foodaffairs.it ). Essential for a great day at the beach, it is delightful and refreshing at any picnic lunch or just to have as a healthy homemade snack. Also known as “riso freddo” (cold rice), this Italian specialty boasts fresh, vibrant flavors and can be tailored to individual tastes, seasonal ingredients, or even creative leftovers.

The origins of Rice Salad trace back to the Spanish rice-based Paella, which gained popularity from the 9th century onwards. With Mediterranean allure and influences from Roman and Arab cuisines, this dish shares common ingredients with couscous from the Maghreb and tabbouleh from Lebanon. A truly international delight!

Recipe:

Serves 4

Prep time: 10 minutes

*Cooking time: 20 minutes (depending on rice box instructions)*

Ingredients:

Rice, 11 oz

Ham, 4 oz

Red bell peppers, 1

Black pitted olives, 3 oz

Green pitted olives, 3 oz

Swiss cheese (or othe tasty cheese such as cheddar, or scarmorza, or provolone), 5 oz

Eggs, 3

Frozen green peas or mixed green peas and carrots, 1 cup

Pickles, 3 (optional)

Parsley or chives, 1 sprig

Extra virgin olive oil to season

Salt (1 level tablespoon per quart of water)

Method:

1.  Bring water to a boil in a large saucepan. Add the salt, then add the peas and carrots and blanch them for about 3 minutes.

Meanwhile, put the rice in a colander and rinse to remove the starch and prevent it from sticking.

Remove the peas and carrots from the water with a slotted spoon. Pour the rice into the same water and cook according to the time suggested on the rice box, then drain rice and rinse it under cold water to stop the cooking.

2. While the rice is cooking, in a separate small saucepan boil water to cook the eggs.  Cook the eggs for about 10 minutes until hard-boiled, then drain and shell.

3. Cut all the ingredients into similar small dices (sides measuring approximately 1⁄4 inch  or 5 mm): the black and green olives, cooked ham, cheese, mushrooms, peppers, and eggs, and finally add whole capers and the boiled green peas with carrots.

Mix the ingredients with the rice, adding oil and salt if needed. Cover the bowl containing the rice salad and let it rest in the refrigerator for an hour before serving and enjoy!

Tips:

– Enhance the flavor with cherry tomatoes, basil mayonnaise, pesto, or fresh rocket.

– Various rice types and ingredients can be used for different tastes and textures.

– In jar ready-made preparations with ingredients in oil or pickles are available.

– Cut one of the eggs in slices rather than cubes for a nice decorative effect

Remember to rinse the cooked rice under cold water to keep it from becoming too sticky.

References

foodaffairs.it. (2023, July 31). Cibo da spiaggia? Ecco i piatti preferiti dagli italiani da preparare e gustare sotto l’ombrellone. Foodaffairs. https://www.foodaffairs.it/2023/07/31/cibo-da-spiaggia-ecco-i-piatti-preferiti-dagli-italiani-da-preparare-e-gustare-sotto-lombrellone/

GialloZafferano.it. (n.d.). Insalata di riso. Ricette Di Cucina – Le Ricette Di GialloZafferano.it. Retrieved August 2, 2023, from https://ricette.giallozafferano.it/Insalata-di-riso-classica.html

iFood. (2019, August 4). Ricetta – Insalata di riso. Dissapore. https://www.dissapore.com/ricette/ricetta-insalata-di-riso/

quattrocalici.it. (n.d.). Riso in insalata al formaggio . Quattrocalici.it. https://www.quattrocalici.it/ricette/riso-in-insalata-al-formaggio/

ROSADIVINI. (2022, August 4). Abbinamento cibo vino: cosa bere con l’insalata di riso. ROSADIVINI. https://www.rosadivini.com/magazine/abbinamento-vino-insalata-riso/#:~:text=L

tannico.it. (n.d.). VINI DA ABBINARE ALL’INSALATA DI RISO. Tannico.it. https://www.tannico.it/abbinamenti/piatti/primi-e-risotti/vini-da-abbinare-all-insalata-di-riso.html

Wikipedia. (2022, September 29). Insalata di riso. Wikipedia. https://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Insalata_di_riso