Rice Salads
Rice salads are easy, inexpensive, delicious and infinitely versatile. They travel and hold well and are an appealing feature if you are the kind of person who hates showing up with the same dish every year at a family gathering or worse, the same dish someone else brings!
You may use any type of rice for salad making, including the quick cooking, boil-in-the-bag types. However, the best results come from a fresh pot of rice. Allow it to partially cool rather than using cold, leftover rice. When rice has been in the refrigerator its starch cells collapse and squeeze out moisture. This makes the grains harder. You can offset the hardening effect somewhat by adding about two tablespoons of water per cup of cooked rice and placing it in the microwave until it is just warm.
Many cooks prefer long-grained rice for salads because it cooks up lighter, drier and fluffier. If you plan to chill the salad, try the short or medium-grained varieties, which cook up softer and moister. Rice salads taste best at room temperature, but follow normal food handling guidelines: do not leave them out more than a couple of hours, especially if they contain highly perishable proteins such as meats, seafood, eggs and dairy products.
Vinaigrettes are nice in rice salads. Add them and toss about 20 minutes before serving to let the flavors mingle. Taste before serving and add more to adjust the seasonings if necessary. Do not be shy when making rice salads. Use whatever ingredients you have on hand. A simple dressing, your favorite herbs and seasonings, a few fresh vegetables and maybe some bits of seafood or meat can turn plain rice into creative, colorful and delicious main courses or side dishes.
