Here at Gustiamo, we bring our own lunches to share with friends on rustic tables. Last week, Intern Charlie made us some tasty Insalata di Riso, a popular, cold rice dish served on warm summer days. The creative cuoco that he is, Charlie offered to make many dishes. He suggested Pasta al Pomodoro, chicken marsala, and cacio e pepe, but to no avail; our commander-in-chief, Beatrice, had something else in mind.
She asked, “Why don’t you just make rice,” to which the intern replied, “sure.” Seconds later, Beatrice dictated a recipe as if it were ingrained (pun intended) in her mind as Charlie frantically copied it down.
After a long and arduous day of harrowing warehouse life, young Charlie, unscathedh, wiped is brow, took the ingredients home, cooked them as if he were Julia Child, on camera and all, and prepared a true Italian classic that the whole staff enjoyed thoroughly. The recipe is as follows.
SERVES: 5-7
TIME: 45 minutes
*Disclaimer – In addition to the ingredients of the recipe, you may also add whatever is lying around the house such as parsley, mushrooms, peppers, etc. All the same, your Insalata di Riso will be delicious.
Ingredients
- Rice Vialone Nano Integrale, 1 pack
- Maida Antipasto, 2 jars
- Onion, diced
- Carrots, 2, diced
- Celery Stalks, 2, diced
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil, 2 tablespoons
- Sea salt, to taste
Preparation
1. In a saucepan, boil water for rice; add salt
2. Cook rice until al dente, drain water
3. Sauté onions, carrots, and celery with oil in a frying pan
4. Add rice to onions, carrots, and celery
5. Pour antipasto on rice without the additional extra virgin olive oil (save remaining oil in jar for your next salad!)