Rice Salad with Fried Caper Dressing
You can use this salad on its own as a vegetarian main course, as a side salad, or use it as the base for grilled scallop kabobs. Converted rice is more predictable (Uncle Ben's is the best) and actually retains some nutritional value. The caper infused olive oil sounds strange, but it really makes this dish, and the crispy capers are addictive. Other than the parsley and lemon, you can have all these ingredients on hand in your pantry for last minute menu planning. Makes 4 servings.
| 3 1/3 cups | converted rice |
| 1 tsp. | coarse salt |
| 1 jar (6.5 oz.) | Napoleon Marinated Artichokes, drained |
| 1 cup | Napoleon Cut Baby Corn |
| 1 jar (7.3 ounces) | Napoleon Marinated Hearts of Palm, drained |
| 1 jar (6.5 ounces) | Napoleon Marinated Mushrooms, halved |
| 1 Tbsp. | grated lemon zest |
| 3 Tbsp. | lemon juice |
| 3 Tbsp. | chopped Italian parsley |
| 1/2 tsp. | ground black pepper |
| 1/2 cup | Napoleon Extra-Virgin Olive Oil |
| 1/2 cup | Napoleon Capers, drained |
Bring the water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Add the rice and salt and cover. Simmer 20 minutes or until rice is cooked and the water is absorbed. Let stand off the heat 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine the artichokes, corn, hearts of palm, mushrooms, lemon zest, lemon juice, parsley, and black pepper. When the rice is done, add to the vegetables and toss to mix.
In a small, deep-sided saucepan heat the oil until it shimmers (about 350°F.) Add the capers and fry 2 to 3 minutes or until they are crisp. Pour the contents of the pan through a fine sieve over the salad. Mix well and garnish with the capers.
Approximate Nutritional Analysis per Serving:
Calories 650
Calories from Fat 330
Total Fat 37g
Saturated Fat 5g
Cholesterol 0mg
Sodium 1715mg
Carbohydrate 74g
Dietary Fiber 7g
Sugars 0g
Protein 10g
Vitamin C 59% DV
Vitamin A 5% DV
Calcium 8% DV
Iron 26% DV
© 2002 The Napoleon Co.