Italian rice salad

Recipe for Italian rice salad

Preparation and cooking

• - Cook rice al dente stage in abundant boiling water, lightly salted.
  Drain and run under cold water to stop cooking.
  Drain well again.
• - Meanwhile prepare all other ingredients in a large bowl:
  cotto ham and Emmental, cubed
  natural tuna well drained and crumbled with a fork
  porcini mushrooms, zucchini and sun dried tomatoes cut into little pieces
  hard boiled eggs, sliced (but remember to put apart some slices to garnish your dish).
• - Once cooked and drained the rice, transfer it in the bowl.
  Add chives and olive oil too.
• - Stir with delicacy, taste with salt only if necessary.
• - Garnish with some egg slices.

Just before serving

• - If you prepare this rice salad in advance keep it in the fridge but remember to take it to room temperature at least an hour before.
• - On the contrary serve after an hour.

Note

Tips

• - This rice salad can also be prepared well in advance. In the morning for the evening, for example.
• - You can add some tablespoons mayonnaise, if liked. But remember nutrition facts vary a lot.
• - I used natural tuna not to increase total fat too much.

Menu planning

• - This rice salad is too rich in ingredients to be a daily dish. I suggest you to prepare it for your special occasions in summer. You'll astonish your guests, surely!
• - I have another tip for you. Have you ever served rice salad as starter? my husband and I have noticed this trend in prestigious Italian restaurants recently. I think it's a very good idea. Just a couple of tablespoons per person accompanied with stuffed vegetables or caponata, bruschetta or crostini. Here's your starter!
  Then you can serve your main dish based on meat or fish and close your meal with a summer cake such as fresh fruit tart or French summer log or homemade ice cream cake
  Remember that serving rice salad as starter every portion is smaller and so these doses serve more people.

Useful links for this recipe

• - Here are the links for suggested recipes
  For starter ideas: Sicilian caponata while you can find bruschettas and crostini among Italian appetizers.
  For cake recipes: fresh fruit tart, French summer log, homemade ice-cream cake.
• - I remember you to browse our site in the recipe directories you always have to click on green button (Italian cooking). It's our home page for recipes and it's simple to find every thing from here!

Healthy eating

• - Nothing to say about this rice salad. It's too rich in fat and calories for your daily menu as I've already written. A special occasion is a rare event and so don't worry about calories, fat, sugars ...

Loretta

What's the right wine ?

My husband and I have different tips according to the other dishes that can accompany this rice salad. You could pair Montepulciano d'Abruzzo Cerasuolo (Abruzzi wine) if your meat dishes are not too elaborated, Riviera Ligure di Ponente Rossese (wine of Liguria) ideal with lamb and Collio Pinot Grigio (wine of Friuli) if your main dish is seafood.