Insalata di Riso
We had to make this recipe when we read that it was one of Domenica’s favorites in the book. Be prepared, it is time consuming with lots of chopping but worth it.
Of the many recipes in this book, this appetizing salad may be my favorite. It is based on a dish that my Zia Gilda, my mother’s eldest sister, used to make every summer for my sister and me. If we were lucky, she might have a bowl of it waiting for us when we arrived from the airport to the apartment in Rome that she shared with my mother’s other two sisters, Adriana and Elsa. Gilda was a person who loved fine things, like Bruno Magli shoes and Luisa Spagnoli dresses. But she was also modest, and the styles she chose were simple. It was the same with her cooking: the food she prepared was always simple, unadorned home fare. But she went to the open-air market in the piazza near her house every day to find the freshest ingredients, and whatever she made was always delicious. Gilda passed away some years ago, never having written down her recipes, but with my sister’s help I have recreated her rice salad here to the best of my memory. I think she would have approved. I like to serve this as a refreshing alternative to potato salad at a backyard cookout, or as the main course at a casual summer luncheon.
Serves 5 to 6 as a main course and 10 to 12 as a side dish
1 1/2 cups Arborio, Carnaroli, or other short-grain risotto rice
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
8 ounces best-quality canned or jarred tuna in olive oil, drained
3 hard-boiled eggs, quartered lengthwise or sliced crosswise
2 Rizzoli brand alici in salsa piccante (page 16) or best-quality Italian anchovy fillets in olive oil, drained and chopped
1 cup diced jarred giardiniera (page 18)
1/2 cup frozen peas, thawed
1/2 cup diced celery
1/2 cup pickled cocktail (pearl) onions, drained, and halved if they are any larger than a marble
1/3 cup diced jarred roasted red bell peppers or a combination of roasted red and yellow bell peppers if you can find them at your supermarket or gourmet food store
1/4 cup green olives, such as Picholine
1/4 cup purple olives, such as Gaeta or kalamata
2 tablespoons minced flat-leaf parsley
1 tablespoon capers, preferably in salt, rinsed, drained, and coarsely chopped
Juice of 1 large lemon
1/4 cup mayonnaise (not mayonnaise-based salad dressing or sandwich spread)
Kosher or sea salt to taste
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over medium-high heat. Pour in the rice. When the water returns to a boil, reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, and cook the rice at a gentle simmer for 20 minutes, or until it is al dente (tender but still a little firm and not at all mushy). Drain the rice in a colander in the sink and rinse it under cold water to stop the cooking process and to cool it. Drain thoroughly and transfer the rice to a large bowl. Toss the rice with the olive oil. Add the remaining ingredients except for the lemon juice, mayonnaise, and salt and pepper, and gently fold everything together. Stir in the lemon juice and mayonnaise and season to taste with salt and pepper. Spoon the rice salad into a decorative serving bowl, cover, and let it sit at room temperature for 30 to 60 minutes to allow the flavors to mingle. Just before serving, toss the salad again and bring it to the table with a large serving spoon to allow your guests to serve themselves.
Do Ahead: My sister and I agree that this salad is at its absolute best when made up to 1 hour in advance so that the rice has time to absorb the flavors but is still just the slightest bit warm. However, the ingredients can be chopped and prepared ahead of time and set aside or refrigerated until you are ready to use them. Bring them to room temperature before mixing them into the rice.
Big Night In
More Than 100 Wonderful Recipes for Feeding Family and Friends Italian-Style
by Domenica Marchetti
2008 Chronicle Books
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