A Change-of-Pace Rice Salad for Summer Buffets

A salad made of wild rice and long grain rice is something just a little different to set out on a summer buffet. A mix of two rices, vegetables and seafood, the salad is a good accompaniment to a wide variety of barbecued dishes, or cold roasted poultry, lamb, pork or beef.

Rice for salad is best cooked by the pilaf method: stirring it first with sauteed onion, adding liquid (a combination of water and chicken broth) and simmering until the liquid is absorbed and the rice is tender.

Because wild rice, an aquatic grass that is hand harvested, has a very firm texture, it cooks for about 15 minutes before the long grain rice is added to the pot.

An Exceptional Flavor

I have specified basmati rice, a long grain Indian rice that has an exceptionally nutty flavor (the same rice grown in Texas is called Teximati) and is available in Indian food stores. However, regular long grain rice (but not precooked rice) can be substituted.

The food processor dispatches the chores of slicing and grating three of the vegetables that add color to the salad. Long shreds of carrot and zucchini are produced by the processor shredding disc when these vegetables are inserted sideways into the food chute. Strips of yellow pepper, cut one inch wide, are sliced into one-inch-long strips with the medium slicing disc.

The vegetables are processed consecutively, that is, without emptying the container, even when it is necessary to change the disc. Then the container is wiped clean so that parsley (which requires a dry container and blade) can easily be minced for the green onion-laced dressing.

TWO-RICE SALAD

1 medium onion, peeled and cubed

1 1/4 cups olive oil

Salt

1/2 cup wild rice

2 cups cold water

2 cups chicken broth

1 1/2 cups long grain rice (preferably basmati)

1 pound bay scallops or small shelled shrimp

Pepper

1 1/2 cups frozen peas, thawed

2 medium tomatoes

2 medium carrots, peeled

1 medium zucchini

1 yellow pepper, cut lengthwise into 1-inch strips

1/4 cup firmly packed stemmed parsley leaves

2 medium green onions, trimmed and cut into 1-inch lengths

1/4 cup lemon juice

Insert metal blade in processor. Mince onion with half-second pulses and empty container into large saucepan. Add 2 tablespoons olive oil and cook onion over medium heat until soft, about 5 minutes. Stir in 1/2 teaspoon salt and wild rice. Cook 2 minutes to lightly coat rice with oil.

Stir in water and broth. Cover and simmer 15 minutes. Stir in long grain rice, re-cover and cook 15 to 20 minutes or until liquid has been absorbed. Transfer cooked rice to foil-lined baking sheet. Let cool.

Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in large skillet. Add scallops and toss over medium heat until color turns, about 2 to 4 minutes. Remove with slotted spoon, then sprinkle with salt and pepper and set aside to cool. Add peas and 1 cup water to skillet. Cover and simmer 3 minutes, then drain and set peas aside.

Cut each tomato into 8 wedges, then cut wedges in halves crosswise. Set tomatoes aside.

Insert medium shredding disc in processor container. Cut carrots to fit sideways in food chute and make long shreds with firm push. Repeat to make long zucchini shreds. Change to medium (4-mm) slicing disc. Insert yellow pepper strips upright in food chute and slice with gentle push. Set aside.

Wipe processor container dry and change to metal blade. Process parsley until minced, then with motor on, drop green onion pieces into machine. Add lemon juice, 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Process, adding remaining 1 cup olive oil in thin stream within 20 seconds. Adjust seasoning with additional 1/4 teaspoon salt, if necessary.

Pour dressing into large salad or pasta bowl. Stir scallops, peas, tomato, carrots, zucchini and peppers. Add rice and toss to thoroughly mix ingredients and dressing. Adjust seasoning to taste (mixture can be bland after rice is added) and serve immediately. Makes 8 servings.