Rice Salads with Suzanne: Every Whichaway

 with Suzanne Dunaway

We adore rice in any form, but when there is much left over from curries or other meals, I always turn it into a cool salad for summer.

Almost any leftovers in your fridge can go into a rice salad and hold their own! My most recent one began with leftover semi-brown rice, which has a lovely flavour and can be used in so many ways.

I then cased my fridge and found all sorts of tidbits to toss with the rice, olive oil and a little yogurt or mayonnaise, whichever suits you or perhaps a little kefir or coconut milk. The possibilities are endless. I happened to have a few spoons of green olive paste and threw that in, too.[/caption]

You may chop everything except the rice in the bowl of a food processor, but do not liquify it! Leave some texture in the ingredients. And I love smoked paprika so if you have it, sprinkle in a little.

NICE RICE SALAD FOR SUMMER

• 3 cups leftover rice
• 1 large sweet onion, chopped fine
• 2 small green onions, slice fine
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 sweet red or yellow pepper, seeded and chopped fine, or a few of the small peppers called “Lipstick”- red, yellow, orange ones scissored into thin slices
• ½ cup toasted almonds, crushed
• 1 small head of fennel, chopped fine
• 1 large tomato, chopped fine
• Chopped olives, any kind you like
• ½ cup olive oil
• 1 scant teaspoon Dijon mustard or any mustard you like
• The juice and zest of a small lemon
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1 carton Greek yogurt or a few spoons of mayonnaise to bind the salad

In a large bowl, mix everything, garnish with chopped cilantro or parsley and eat!