Pinenut Rice Salad with Parsley and Artichokes

以前工作的小組中有好幾個vegetarian。YY是個“肉祖宗”，原本會做得菜就有限，素菜就沒有可以拿得出手的。所以每次potluck，都覺得很對不起vegetarian朋友們。

直到看到了這個recipe。原著是本市的celebrity chef Tom Douglas。當然YY加了些variations：就地取材把recipe裏的hazelnut改為pinenut。Rice是用電飯煲煮的（recipe上要求用saucepan）。另外，拿不準如何處理fresh antichokes。所以從Whole Foods買了罐頭的。Tom recipe裏作antichoke hearts還要放胡蘿卜。超討厭胡蘿卜的YY當然把這個材料給省了。這個rice salad做起來比想象中複雜。但賣瓜地說一句：味道真得很棒，而且很彰顯廚師的sophistication。於是美國朋友的聚會我就帶著它去“長臉”。哈哈。
 

Makes 8 servings:

2 cups basmati rice

1/8 cup Balsamic Vinegar

1/2 cup olive oil

Cooked Artichoke Hearts*

2/3 cup toasted pinenuts (about 4-5 mins in preheated 375F oven)

1/2 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley

1/2 cup black olive (half can)

lemon zest from 1/2 lemon

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

 

*To make artichoke hearts:

1 can organic artichoke hearts, drained and cut into quarters

1/4 lemon

1/2 medium onion, peeled and diced

1/2 cup white wine

Black pepper

2T olive oil

 

Heat olive oil using medium heat. Put onion and stir occassionally, 2 mins until it becomes translucent. Add artichoke hearts and white wine, cook for 1 min. Add pepper and a squeeze of lemon. Remove from the heat.

 

Put the rice into a electric rice cook. Add 3 cups of water and follow the instruction of the rice cook to make the rice. Once it's done, spread it on a baking sheet and cool to close to room temperature. Scrape it into a large bowl.

 

In a small bowl, make the vinaigrette by whisking together the vinegar and oil and season to taste with salt and pepper. Pour the vinaigrette over the rice, then add the artichoke hearts, pinenuts, parsley, olives, and lemon zest. Stir the salad with a rubber spatula until everything is well combined, then season to taste with salt and pepper.