Black Magic Salad

by: Ally

Rating:
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
Category: Salads
Level: Easy
Total Time: 0 hr 45 mins

< back

Ingredients
Prep
Info
Reviews

What you need…
1. Black Rice or Black & Mahogany Rice—prepare per package directions about 6 servings (more if you like!).
NOTE: For info on this type rice, Google ‘Lotus Foods’—a world of rice—online.)
2. ½ to 3/4 cups each of Cubanelle peppers, red and yellow peppers and zucchini
3. ¾ cup of sliced green onions/tops
NOTE: I like to slice all my veggies for this dish chiffonade style—makes for a little elegance in presentation!
4. 6 cloves fresh garlic chopped
5. ½ cup chopped fresh basil and Italian parsley
6. Drizzles of EVOO
7. Drizzles of Balsamic vinaigrette (I like to use for this dish the Pomegranate Balsamic, but regular is just fine!)
8. Ground sea salt and white pepper to taste.

What you do…
1. Prepare the rice according to the instructions on the package. Use broth rather than water. Allow to sit and cool before mixing with veggies.
2. Oven roast #2 veggies, spread on cookie sheet, drizzle with EVOO, some salt/pepper, mix…in a pre-heated 400 degree oven cook for about 4-5 minutes…you want the veggies to remain somewhat crisp.
3. In a separate sauté pan, drizzle some EVOO and over medium heat cook the minced or chopped garlic until just tender and translucent.
4. Place about 4-5 cups of cooled rice in mixing bowl, add cooked garlic along with all the EVOO in the skillet, add the oven roasted veggies, basil and Italian parsley.
5. Drizzle several rotations of EVOO, sprinkle several shakes of Balsamic, a few rotations of ground sea salt and white pepper.
6. Blend and toss together. Can be served warm, room temperature or cold.

Suggestions for serving and plating:
1. This can be a solo dish…add whatever you may like with it—garnish with tomatoes, decorative carrots, more basil, serve atop a bed of greens (raw or sauté like spinach or Bibb lettuce), etc.
2. Black Magic Rice can accompany any type of meal—especially great with chicken, seafood, pork, lamb, beef—really anything.
3. Use as a filler in soft tortillas, top with salsa, sour cream—your favorite dressings!
4. Looks especially beautiful on all white serving dishes!
5. If you want to add veggies to it, like pan grilled corn, nothing can mess up this Black Magic Rice! 
6. Try scooping in a small container like a ramekin (spray first with PAM), patting down the Black Magic Rice in it, then flipping for a ‘formed’ presentation! You’ll get rave reviews!

Yield:	8 servings
Prep Time:	0 hr 15 mins
Cook Time:	0 hr 30 mins
Ready In:	0 hr 30 mins

Category:	Salads
Main Ingredient:	Rice
Cooking Method:	Boiling
Recipe Tags:	forbidden rice	black rice	vegetables	salad

Chef's Note & Story

A friend introduced me to forbidden rice, and I am so enthralled with it!!

I buy it from Lotus Foods, which says forbidden rice "...is fabled to enrich health and ensure longevity. This medium-size heirloom rice is treasured for its delicious roasted nutty taste, soft texture and beautiful deep purple color. Extremely high in a class of flavonoid antioxidants called anthocyanins, Forbidden Rice® is also rich in iron and, according to Chinese herbal medicine, considered to be a blood tonifier."

I've used forbidden rice and their Buhtanese Red Rice in quite a few applications, including dessert! As you can see I've experimented with molding the rice for a unique presentation.

I don't think you'll be disappointed if you try forbidden rice! :)