Rice Salad Recipe

Healthy, fresh and easy to make. This rice salad is just what you need for these hot summer days

It's so hot today, I cannot believe it! I went for my run this morning and thought I was going to melt on my way back. Really!! The forecast says we'll have a high of  95 degrees for today and tomorrow (that's about 35 degree Celsius). And for those of you who don't know me, I'm in Southern California near the ocean, with an average temperature of about 70 degree all year long. Breezy and cool, and not extremely hot.
With this unexpected heat wave, I don't feel like baking or cooking very much. So here is one of my favorite dishes for these occasions. It's fresh, wholesome, light and easy to make.
This dish can be prepared a day before and can be stored in the refrigerator for a couple of days. It's  perfect for a picnic or a barbecue. For a light dinner or to take along with you at work or school for a healthy lunch.

You can really make rice salad with many different ingredients. That's what I like about it so much. Change it up every time and make it fun. Today, I've prepared it with mixed pickled veggies, marinated artichoke hearts, olives, fresh mozzarella and hard boiled eggs. And of course, you need a drizzle of tasty olive oil and a sprinkle of chopped fresh basil. Sounds perfect, right?

Here is the video recipe for you.

Note, the quantities of the ingredients added to the rice are just to give  you an idea of what I did. But feel free to add or change anything as you prefer!

Ingredients: serving about 4

• 1 1/2 cups (300 gr) rice ( I used long grain)
• 3 hard boiled eggs
• 1 cup (180  gr) of giardiniera - mixed pickled veggies
• 1/2 cup (75 gr) of marinated artichokes hearts
• 1/4 cup (35 gr) of mixed pitted olives ( I used Greek)
• 6 oz (170 gr) of fresh mozzarella
• a couple of tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
• salt
• 3-4 leaves of fresh basil 

Preparation time: 30 minutes
Directions:

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Simmer the rice, as directed. it should take about 15 minutes.
2. In a separate small pan, hard boil three eggs: place the eggs in the pan, cover with cold water. Bring the water to a boil over medium heat. When the water starts to boil, lower the flame to the minimum and let cook for about 8 to 10 minutes. Drain, run under cold water and peel.

3. In a large bowl, add the mixed pickled veggies, the artichoke hearts and the olives. All cut in small pieces.

4. When the rice is ready, drain and run quickly under cold water to cool it down. Drain well and add to the bowl with veggies.

5. Drizzle with a couple of tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil.

6. Cut in pieces the boiled egg and salt to taste.

7. Add the eggs, mozzarella cut in small cubes, and the basil cut in smaller pieces to the rice.
Mix well. And adjust with olive oil if necessary.

Serve at room temperature or store in the refrigerator up to two days.

Buon appetito! 

Italian Rice-Stuffed Tomatoes

A light and healthy vegetarian dish filled with Mediterranean flavors

These rice-stuffed tomatoes are just perfect for these hot summer days

This dish is just perfect for the summer. You can buy fresh tomatoes all year long (at least around here). But most of the times, I'm sorry to say, they have very little, or no flavor at all. You can easily figure out if a tomato is any good: just pick one up and give it a sniff, right by the stem... Don't be shy! I say, you have the right to smell your tomatoes before buying them. I always do :)
You will see, most of the year - no smell at all! But now, in the middle of summer, it's the exception and you can get delicious tomatoes. Go to the farmers' market and find some ripe (but not mushy), deep red, big tomatoes. If they have an earthy, fresh aroma, maybe like the smell of dry grass and sunshine ... then, you have a winner!

Once you find some great tomatoes, here is what you do. Very simple: cut the top off and empty the inside. Crush the pulp and use it to make a delicious risotto. In the risotto, mix some shredded mozzarella, grated Parmesan cheese and some chopped fresh parsley. Don't leave these out! The stuffing would be nothing without the cheese and the parsley.
Before baking, fill each tomato with some risotto and surprise, surpriiiise! Add one small, fresh mozzarella (ciliegine) right in the middle. It's a soft, moist and cheesy addition that will make this not just your average stuffed tomatoes, but a deliciously fun, fresh and light dinner that everyone will love.

Enjoy :) 

Ingredients: 4 servings as main dish, 8 as side dish                     PRINTABLE RECIPE

• 8 large tomatoes 
• 4 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil (divided)
• half onion
• 1 garlic clove
• 8 oz (225 gr) of rice 
• about 2 tablespoons of chopped Italian parsley
• 1/3 cup (30 gr) freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 cup (100 gr) shredded mozzarella
• 8 "ciliegine" (small) fresh mozzarella cheese or one large ball cut in eight cubes
• salt

Preparation time: 30 minutes, plus 45 minutes in the oven
Directions:

1. Cut the top off the tomatoes (save this part), and remove the pulp and seeds (save them in a bowl) using a small pointy knife and a spoon. Let the tomatoes rest on a plate upside down to drain while you prepare the rest.

2. Puree' the tomato pulp with a blender.

3. Chop half  onion, and crush a garlic clove (or chop it if you like a stronger garlicky taste). In a large pan, saute' the onion, the crushed garlic clove with two tablespoon of olive oil.

4. Add the rice, stir and cook for one minute. Add some of the pureed tomatoes (about half). And save the rest if necessary. Salt to taste. Cook the rice over medium flame for about 12-14 minutes (based on the rice), stirring occasionally and adding more of the pureed tomatoes when dry.
 Note, we don't want to cook the rice fully. It will cook in the oven  with the tomatoes. It should be cooked about 5 minutes less that the time to fully cook it.

5.  Preheat the oven to 375º F (190º C ).
Add the chopped parsley and mix. Remove from the stove, and mix in the shredded mozzarella and grated Parmesan cheese.

6. Place the tomatoes in an oven safe dish. Sprinkle the inside of the tomatoes with a bit of salt. Stuff the tomatoes half way with the rice mixture.

7. Add one mozzarellina, and stuff with the rest of the rice.

8. Drizzle with olive oil, cover with the top of the tomato.

9.Bake at 375º F (190º C ) for 45-50 minutes, or until the tomatoes are cooked through and the tops are golden brown and the rice fully cooked. Check the rice before removing from the oven. If by chance the rice is still not fully cooked or you like it softer, cover the pan with aluminum foil, and leave in the oven for an extra 5 minutes or so.
Serve hot or at room temperature.

Buon appetito!

Seafood Paella

Classic seafood paella: a tasty and impressive saffron flavored rice mixed with your favorite, fresh seafood

I know what you are thinking... this is not an Italian dish. True! But once in a while it's nice to change and try something new.
I often make this recipe. It's a great one-dish, healthy dinner, perfect for my family.
I don't have the original Spanish "paella" (large, oven-safe frying pan), but I simply use my big, heavy skillet. And I cook the rice only on the stove, not in the oven.
The main difference between a paella and a seafood risotto is in the way you cook the rice. In the paella you add all the stock/water all at once at the beginning, and mostly let the rice simmer until ready. With the risotto, the liquid is added some at the time, and the rice needs constant stirring.
Paella can be very creative. Make it fun by choosing  a variety of seafood that you like best. Each adding a different flavor and texture. My favorite ingredients are calamari, shrimps and scallops. And let's not forget mussels. It really adds a special touch to the dish! If I were in Italy (or Spain) I would definitely use scampi. But here in California they are not easy to find. So no scampi in my paella :-(
So here is the recipe for my seafood paella. There are lots of ways to prepare it. This is how I make it and I hope you will enjoy it. Any suggestions or expert advise is always welcome!

Ingredients: serving 4

• half onion, minced
• 0.5 lb calamari or calamari steak
• 0.5 lb shrimps
• 0.5 lb of scallops
• 0.5 lb of mussels
• 3/4 cup of peas (I used frozen)
• 0.5 cup of crushed tomatoes 
• 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed or minced
• 1/4 of a teaspoon of saffron (I like powder better, but only had the Spanish type)
• 0.5 cup of white wine
• 1.5 cups of rice 
• 3 cups of fish or vegetable stock 
• salt to taste

Preparation time: 50 minutes
Directions:
Step 1: In a large skillet, sauté the garlic and the chopped onion in a couple of tablespoons of olive oil. Over medium-high heat, sauté the shrimps for 3 minutes or so. Remove them from the skillet and save them for later.

Step 2: Sauté the scallops and the calamari cut into small pieces. Cook over medium heat for 5 minutes.

Step 3: Add the rice, the crushed tomatoes, the saffron dissolved in the white wine, the white wine and the stock. Cook over medium heat for about 10 minutes. Salt to taste. No stirring the rice.

Step 4: While the rice cooks, wash the mussels under running water, scrub the shells and remove the beard if necessary. Place the mussels in a sauce pan, cover and place over medium-high heat for about 5 minutes. Throw away any mussel that did not open, and set aside for later.
Step 5: Mix in the peas and the shrimps. I cut about half of the shrimps in pieces, the rest I left whole. Cook for another 8 minutes or until the rice is mostly cooked. Increase or decrease the heat based on how much liquid you still have. It will need to be all absorbed by the end. Salt to taste.

Step 6: Add the mussels with the shell. Serve immediately!

Risotto with Cuttlefish

Satisfy your craving for a delicious Italian primo piatto with this rich cuttlefish risotto

I have not prepared a risotto in quite some time. And with this chilly and rainy day tonight I really felt  in the mood for a deliciously tasty, rich and creamy seafood risotto with cuttlefish. It's easy, quick and a great one-dish family dinner.
Cuttlefish is a mollusk, similar to squid and octopi in taste and texture, not as common here in California, as in Italy. I bought mine frozen at the local fish market. Cuttlefish ink is used in many Italian dishes, like risotto al nero di seppia or also black seafood pasta. Both really delicious!
Tonight I did not have any ink to make my risotto black. But as soon as I find and buy some, I will post a recipe.

Ingredients: serving 4

• 1 lb (450 gr) of clean cuttlefish
• 2 tablespoons of extra olive oil
• half onion, chopped
• 1 garlic clove
• half cup of white wine
• 1 and half cups of fish stock (or vegetable) or water
• 1 tablespoon of fresh Italian parsley, chopped
• 1.5 cups of arborio rice

Preparation time: 45 minutes
Directions:
Step 1: In a large sauce pan, saute' the garlic and chopped onion in the olive oil.

Step 2: As soon as the onion are softer and slightly golden, add the cuttlefish cut in pieces. Salt to taste, and cook for 10 minutes or so.

Step 3: Stir in the wine, and after one minute add the rice. Let cook for a couple of minutes and add some stock or water.

Step 4: Cook the risotto, stirring every few minutes, and adding water or more stock when necessary. The risotto should be ready in about 15-18 minutes.

Add the parsley and serve immediately.