Italian Asparagus Rice Salad Recipes

RICE, ASPARAGUS AND CUCUMBER SALAD

Steps:

• In a medium saucepan, bring 1 3/4 cups water to boil. Add rice; return to boil. Reduce heat to low, cover and cook until water is absorbed and rice is tender, about 20 minutes. Fluff with fork; transfer to bowl. Cool to room temperature.
• Cook asparagus in a large saucepan of boiling salted water until tender, about 1 minute. Drain and rinse with cold water to cool. Cut the asparagus into 1-inch pieces. Add asparagus, cucumber and green onions to rice.
• Whisk together the mustard, sugar, vinegar, dry mustard, oil and chopped dill. Cover salad and dressing separately. Refrigerate until chilled.
• Pour dressing into salad and season with salt and pepper. Line large bowl with lettuce and mound salad in bowl. Garnish with dill sprigs.

PARMESAN ASPARAGUS RICE

Steps:

• Melt 2 tablespoon butter in a 3-quart saucepan over medium heat. Cook and stir onion until softened and turning translucent, about 1 minute. Add garlic and cook for another minute. Stir in the rice, asparagus, and stock. Cover and reduce heat to medium-low.
• Stir occasionally to prevent the rice from sticking to the bottom of the pan. Continue cooking until the rice is tender, about 10 minutes.
• Turn off the heat and gently stir in the Parmesan cheese and remaining butter. Serve immediately.

SPRING VEGETABLE RICE SALAD (INSALATA DI RISO)

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add rice, stir, and adjust heat to maintain a simmer. Cook, stirring occasionally to prevent any grains from sticking to the pot, until the rice is just barely done, about 15 minutes. It will continue to cook as it cools. Drain the rice well and spread it out on a tray to cool quickly.
• Bring another large pot of salted water to a boil. Holding an asparagus spear in both hands, bend the spear until it breaks naturally at the point where it becomes tough. Repeat with the remaining spears. Discard the tough ends and cut the tender part into 1/3-inch lengths. Blanch asparagus and peas together in the boiling water for 1 minute and 30 seconds, then lift out with a strainer and transfer to a paper towel lined baking sheet to cool.
• Shell the fava beans, then blanch the unpeeled beans in the same boiling water for about 3 minutes. Drain, transfer them to a paper towel lined baking sheet to cool. Peel the fava beans by pinching open the loose skin; the peeled bean should slip out easily.
• Put the lemon juice in a small bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Gradually whisk in the olive oil.
• In a large bowl, combine the cooled rice, asparagus, peas, fava beans, basil, parsley, lemon zest, ham and cheese. Toss with your hands to blend. Pour the dressing over the salad (you may not need it all) and toss gently. Taste and adjust seasoning.

RICE, ASPARAGUS AND CUCUMBER SALAD

Steps:

• Bring 1 3/4 cups water to boil in medium saucepan. Add rice; return to boil. Reduce heat to low, cover and cook until water is absorbed and rice is tender, about 20 minutes. Fluff with fork; transfer to bowl. Cool to room temperature.
• Cook asparagus in large saucepan of boiling salted water until crisp-tender, about 2 minutes. Drain. Rinse with cold water to cool; drain well. Add asparagus, cucumber and green onions to rice.
• Combine Dijon mustard, sugar, vinegar and dry mustard in small bowl. Gradually mix in oil. Add chopped dill. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover salad and dressing separately; chill.) Mix dressing into salad. Season with salt and pepper. Line large bowl with lettuce. Mound salad in bowl. Garnish with dill sprigs.

WARM ITALIAN RICE SALAD WITH SAUSAGE AND ROMAINE

Steps:

• Heat oil in 12-inch skillet over medium heat; add sausage and cook and stir, crumbling into small pieces, until cooked through and no longer pink, 5 to 7 minutes. Remove cooked sausage from skillet with a slotted spoon; drain on paper-towel-lined plate. Pour off all but 1 tablespoon rendered fat.
• Place mushrooms in skillet and cook over medium heat until tender, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer from pan with slotted spoon to plate with sausage.
• Prepare Knorr® Rice Sides™ - Herb & Butter in skillet according to package directions. Stir dried Italian seasoning into the water; omit additional margarine. Three minutes before the rice is finished cooking, add the peas. When rice is done, stir in cooked sausage and mushrooms. Heat through.
• Add romaine lettuce and tomatoes; toss lightly. Scoop into serving bowls; top each serving with desired amount of shredded cheese and serve immediately.

ASPARAGUS WITH GREMOLATA, LEMON AND OLIVE OIL

Steps:

• Once you have finely chopped the garlic, parsley and lemon zest, chop them together on a cutting board until well combined. (This mixture is the gremolata.) Transfer to a bowl. Warm a serving platter.
• Steam or boil the asparagus in salted water until tender, four to five minutes. Remove from the heat, and toss with the gremolata. Add salt and pepper to taste. Mix together the lemon juice and olive oil, and drizzle over the asparagus. Serve hot or warm.

INSALATA DI RISO (ITALIAN RICE SALAD)

Steps:

• Combine water, rice, carrot, peas, and salt in a saucepan. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer until rice is tender but still firm to the bite, about 14 minutes. Drain excess water; let cool, 10 to 15 minutes.
• Mix prosciutto cotto, Swiss cheese, button mushrooms, corn, green olives, black olives, pickle, artichoke hearts, olive oil, thyme, and oregano together in a large bowl. Stir in cooled rice mixture. Fold tuna into the salad.
• Divide salad among 4 serving plates; garnish with hard-boiled eggs. Chill before serving, at least 30 minutes.

ASPARAGUS SALAD, ITALIAN-STYLE

Steps:

• Cut off the woodsy bottoms of the asparagus spears; discard. Cut off the flower ends and set aside.
• Use a vegetable peeler to remove the dark green outer skin of each spear; you should get three or four ribbons from each one. Set aside. Cut the remaining stalks crosswise into 1/4-inch rounds.
• Combine ribbons, sliced rounds and tips in a large bowl. Drizzle asparagus with oil, then sprinkle with lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper, then top with Parmesan.

RICE SALAD WITH ASPARAGUS AND PEAS

Steps:

• Finely mince garlic and anchovies together with 1 teaspoon salt on a cutting board until a paste forms. Transfer to a bowl; whisk in vinegar and oil.
• Cook rice in a pot of salted boiling water until tender, about 13 minutes. Add asparagus and peas; cook until crisp-tender, about 2 minutes. Drain and transfer to bowl with vinaigrette.
• Add onion and radicchio, toss to combine, and season with salt. Let stand 30 minutes. Add basil, toss to combine, and let stand 30 minutes more before serving.

ADDICTING WILD RICE & ASPARAGUS SALAD

Steps:

• 1. Cook rice according to directions. About 2 minutes BEFORE rice is finished, add craisins and simmer until rice is cooked.
• 2. In a frying pan, add 1 can of broth, garlic, and onion. Simmer for about 2-3 minutes and then add the asparagus until cooked to your liking. Add mushrooms and cook for about 5 more minutes, more or less.
• 3. Drain any remaining broth and mix the onion mix with the rice and craisins.
• 4. Add vinegar & olive oil, mix well. Then add garlic salt and mix.
• 4. If using nuts, place then under a the broiler for a minute or two (watch them carefully so not to burn!) and then add them to the salad.
• 5. This dish can be served hot and is also quite tasty cold for a quick leftover dish!

ITALIAN RICE SALAD

Steps:

• Saute scallops in hot butter for about 3 minutes, just enough to cook them lightly.
• Combine scallops with remaining salad ingredients in serving bowl.
• Whisk oil with vinegar and beat in remaining dressing ingredients. Pour over salad and toss gently.
• Chill or serve at room temperature. It is better if salad is not too cool, for this detracts from the flavors.

ITALIAN RICE SALAD

Steps:

• Combine first 8 ingredients and toss together.
• Mix garlic powder with salad dressing and pour over rice mixture.
• Cover and refrigerate.
• Better next day as this salad needs to marinate.

ASPARAGUS PASTA SALAD WITH ITALIAN DRESSING

Steps:

• For the dressing: Whisk together all of the ingredients in a medium bowl until combined. Set aside.
• For the pasta salad: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook according to the package directions, just until al dente. Add the asparagus and cook it with the pasta for 1 more minute. Drain the pasta and asparagus then rinse with cold water and drain thoroughly.
• Transfer the pasta and asparagus to a large bowl. Stir in the onions and tomatoes. Pour the dressing over the pasta, toss to combine, then cover and refrigerate for at least 3 hours and up to overnight. When ready to serve, stir in the Parmesan and enjoy cold or at room temperature.

WARM ASPARAGUS, CHICKEN AND PORTOBELLO RICE SALAD

Steps:

• Combine rice and 1 1/2 cups water in heavy-bottomed pot. Bring to boil, reduce heat to simmer, cover, and cook for 17 minutes.
• Prepare stove-top grill, and cook the chicken, browning on both sides, for 7 to 10 minutes.
• Break asparagus at the point where tough stem meets the tender part. Wash, then steam tender asparagus parts over hot water 5 to 7 minutes, depending on thickness.
• Wash, trim and slice mushrooms; as soon as chicken is cooked, grill the mushrooms on both sides until they are soft, 5 minutes.
• Pit olives, and mince onion and garlic. Wash, dry and chop oregano.
• Whisk together the oil and vinegar in a serving bowl; stir in the olives, onion, garlic and oregano.
• Add mushrooms to bowl. And when chicken is cooked, cut it into julienne strips and add it to the bowl.
• When asparagus is cooked, drain and cut into one-inch lengths. Add to serving bowl.
• When rice is cooked, add to bowl and mix ingredients well. Season with salt and pepper. Serve with crusty country bread.

GRILLED CHICKEN AND ASPARAGUS RICE SALAD

Steps:

• Combine rice and 1 cup of water in a heavy-bottomed pot. Bring to a boil; cover and simmer, cooking for a total of 17 minutes, until liquid has been absorbed and rice is tender.
• Wash and dry chicken. Grill on both sides until cooked through, about 10 to 12 minutes.
• Meanwhile wash asparagus and trim off the tough ends. Steam the asparagus for 7 to 10 minutes, depending on thickness of stalks.
• Rinse the capers and chop coarsely. Mince the garlic. Pit the olives and chop coarsely. Combine the capers, garlic, olives, vinegar, oil and mustard, and whisk together.
• When asparagus is cooked, drain and cut into one-inch pieces; add to dressing.
• When chicken is cooked, cut into narrow julienne strips and cut each strip in half. Add to dressing.
• Wash, dry and chop basil, and stir in. Wash, trim and cut tomatoes into bite-size pieces, and stir in. Add the rice when it is cooked. Season with salt and pepper, and mix well.