Rice Nicoise Recipes

BROWN RICE SALADE NICOISE

Steps:

• In a small bowl, combine the red onion and vinegar. Set aside to soak for at least 10 minutes.
• Empty the tuna and oil into a large bowl. Flake tuna with a fork.
• Add cooked brown rice, bell pepper, olives, and capers.
• Stir in the onion and any unabsorbed vinegar.
• Add lemon juice, lemon zest (if using), olive oil (if using), parsley, thyme (if using), and salt and pepper to taste.
• To serve, place a bed or lettuce and radicchio (if using) on each plate and spoon the salad on top.
• Arrange green beans and eggs alongside.

RICE NICOISE

Steps:

• Combine the rice and 1 cup of water in heavy bottomed pan, and bring to a boil; reduce heat, and simmer, covered, cooking a total of 17 minutes, until the rice is tender.
• Wash and trim the beans, and cook about 5 minutes in a steamer.
• Meanwhile, wash and chop the tarragon, pit the olives, trim the tomato and dice. Add these ingredients with the capers, oil and vinegar to a serving bowl, and stir well.
• When beans are cooked, drain and rinse under cold water, cut in halves or thirds and add to bowl.
• When rice is cooked, stir in and season with pepper.

FARRO NIçOISE

Steps:

• Put the farro and a large pinch salt in a medium saucepan with water to cover by about an inch. Bring to a boil, then adjust the heat so the mixture bubbles gently. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the farro is tender but still has bite, 20 to 30 minutes. Add water if necessary to keep the grains covered; if any liquid remains by the time the farro is tender, strain it out.
• Meanwhile, bring another medium pan of water to a boil and salt it. Add the green beans and cook until bright green and crisp-tender, 2 minutes or so, then plunge them into a bowl of ice water or run under cold water to cool them.
• Put the anchovies, olive oil, lemon zest and juice, mustard, shallot and capers in a food processor and purée. Chop the tuna and parsley by hand and mix them in. (Alternatively, add the parsley to the food processor and pulse to chop, then add the tuna and pulse, once or twice, to blend. Don't purée the tuna but chop it well.) The mixture should be pourable; if it isn't, add lemon juice, olive oil or water to thin a bit. Add pepper, then taste and adjust the seasoning.
• Toss the farro, warm, with about half the dressing. Taste and adjust the seasoning, and pile it on a platter. Arrange the green beans, tomatoes, eggs and olives around the farro, as artfully as you like. Drizzle the remaining dressing over them and serve.

CLASSIC NICOISE SALAD

Steps:

• Put the potatoes in a medium saucepan; cover with cold water and season with salt. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat and cook until fork-tender, about 5 minutes. Drain and transfer to a medium bowl; drizzle with the wine and let cool. Reserve the saucepan.
• Meanwhile, bring a separate saucepan of salted water to a boil. Fill a bowl with salted ice water. Add the haricots verts to the boiling water; cook until crisp-tender and bright green, 2 to 4 minutes. Drain and immediately plunge into the ice water to cool; drain and pat dry.
• Place the eggs in the reserved saucepan and cover with cold water by about 1 inch. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat, then cover, remove from the heat and let stand, 10 to 12 minutes. Drain, then run under cold water to cool. Peel under cold running water.
• Make the dressing: Whisk the vinegar, shallot, mustard, thyme, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and pepper to taste in a bowl. Whisk in the olive oil in a slow, steady stream until emulsified.
• Toss the tomatoes ian a small bowl with salt and pepper to taste. Add about 1/4 cup dressing to the potatoes and toss. Quarter the hard-cooked eggs.
• Divide the lettuce among 4 plates. Arrange the potatoes, haricots verts, radishes, hard-cooked eggs and tuna on top. Pour any juices from the tomatoes into the dressing, then add the tomatoes to the plates. Drizzle with the dressing and top with the olives.