Recipe: Rice salad in a jar

Salad in a jar?

That’s right. The cuteness of presentation and the gorgeous layered colors of this salad are sure to provoke lively conversation among your guests.

It can also be made hours ahead, chilled and served on a buffet table or presented on a small plate for an individual salad course.

Caren McSherry from the Gourmet Warehouse is here to explain what this dish is all about.

Ingredients

• 6 seven-ounce glass weck jars or any preserving jars
• 1 cup of black imperial rice
• 1 ½ cups  water
• 1 – six-ounce jar of roasted red peppers, drained and bottled dry on paper towel
• 1 large avocado, peeled and cut into ½ inch cubes
• 2/3 cup mini mini bocconcini
• 6 large basil leaves, shredded fine
• ½ cup toasted almonds or nut of choice

Dressing

• 1 small garlic clove, minced
• 1 small shallot, finely diced
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 2 tablespoons white balsamic vinegar
• ¼ cup lemon oil
• 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
• Fleur de sel and ground pepper to taste

Method

1. Place the rice and water in a two-quart saucepan with the lid on, bring to a boil and then turn the heat down to a simmer until the rice is cooked through and all the water is absorbed.
2. While the rice is cooking, prepare the dressing  by placing the minced garlic in a small bowl, add the shallot, mustard, vinegar and stir together.
3. Slowly whisk in both oils, add the fleur de sel and pepper to taste.  Set aside.
4. In a small bowl, mix together the garlic, shallot, Dijon and vinegar.  Slowly whisk in both oils, add the salt and pepper and set aside.
5. Once the rice is cooked fluff a little and pour the dressing over the hot rice.  Set aside and let the rice cool.
6. Once the rice is cool, you can begin the assembly.  Start by cutting the peppers into one-inch pieces and lay a slice on the bottom of each jar.
7. Top with a heaping soup spoon of rice, then add a few cubes of avocado, a teaspoon of bocconcini, some of the shredded basil.
8. Top with another soup spoon of rice and repeat.
9. Chill until serving.
10. Just before serving, sprinkle with the roasted nuts.  Do not do this ahead of time as the nuts will become soft and soggy.

Serves six.

Note: Feel free to substitute or add in your personal favorites, like pitted Kalamata, sun-dried tomatoes, fresh grape tomatoes, chopped artichokes.

If lemon oil is not available in your market, add 1 teaspoon fine lemon zest to the oil to give you that subtle lemon essence.

Find more Global BC recipes here