California Brown Rice Salad with Figs and Goat Cheese
- Ethnicity: American
- Base: Vegetable
- Course: Side Dish
- Prep Time: 30-60 Minutes
- Difficulty: Easy
- Serving Size: 8
Ingredients:
| Amount | Ingredient |
|---|---|
| 2 c | California-grown Calrose medium grain brown rice |
| 3 c | water |
| 1 T | sea salt, divided |
| 6 oz | Black Mission figs, cut into six wedges each |
| 2 oz | baby leek, thinly sliced on a 45 degree bias |
| 12 oz | Pippin apple, julienned |
| 1 ea | lemon |
| 11 oz | Goat cheese, crumbled (Laura Chenel suggested) |
| 3 oz | julienned red bell pepper strips |
| 1 ea | bunch Italian parsley, chopped |
| 1/2 c | Golden Balsamic vinegar (Sparrow Lane suggested) |
| 1 1/4 c | Extra Virgin olive oil (CA Olive Ranch Abrosana suggested) |
| 2 T | shallots, minced |
| 2 T | Dijon mustard |
| 2 T | granulated sugar |
Directions:
For rice:
Combine brown rice with water and salt in a saucepan. Stir, bring to a boil on high heat. Turn heat down to a slow simmer and cook, covered for 30-35 minutes. When all of the water has been absorbed, turn off the heat and let rest, covered for five more minutes. Take cooked rice and lay out on a sheet pan and cool in refrigerator.
For garnish:
Stem Black Mission figs and cut in six wedges and set aside. Thoroughly wash baby leeks and slice thinly on the bias, half way up the green tops, using all of the white bottoms. Put two cups cold water in bain marie with lemon cut in half and squeezed. Wash apples and julienne with skin on, putting the apples in lemon water. Crumble the goat cheese and set aside. Julienne the red pepper and set aside. Finely chop the Italian parsley and set aside.
For dressing:
Put Balsamic vinegar in a bowl. Add minced shallots, salt, pepper, sugar and Dijon mustard. Whisk together and slowly add olive oil. Whisk until dressing is nicely emulsified.
To finish:
Take half of the finished dressing and all the prepared leeks, red peppers and cooled, cooked rice, toss together. Add apples, goat cheese and parsley then combine, tossing gently as to not break the apples. Add figs and fold into finished rice salad, trying not to break fig wedges. Salt and pepper to taste.
This dish can be enjoyed as a light lunch or side dish with poultry or fish. Serve remaining vinaigrette in small ramekins to allow guests to drizzle on as they desire.
Enjoy the salad with lettuce leaves and eat like "lettuce wraps," or fill endive leaves with the salad for a sweet and crunchy handheld delight.