Thursday, June 17, 2010

Southwestern Cilantro Rice Salad



From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...I first had this salad in New York City at a restaurant called Arizona 206. Chef Brendan Walsh was head of the kitchen at that time and one of the restaurant's signature dishes was this lovely cilantro rice. I had the rice so often that I was able to reconstruct it in my own kitchen from taste memory. I liked it then, and I like it now, because it's an easy and inexpensive way to feed a large number of people. It's also a wonderful accompaniment to Southwestern or Mexican meals. While I doubt this will become your favorite rice dish, it's great for church suppers, block parties and other large gatherings where refrigerator and oven space space is at a premium. This rice salad is one of those rare dishes that is actually better when served at room temperature. The version of the recipe I have in my files feeds 36 people. I re-sized it earlier this week to serve with a Southwestern-style meal I had planned for four people. I thought you might like to have a copy of the smaller recipe for your files. Without further ado, here's how we make Southwestern Cilantro Rice Salad. Oh, and should you like the recipe for 36, multiply all ingredients, save the lime zest, by four.

Southwestern Cilantro Rice Salad...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite, inspired by Brendan Walsh

Ingredients:

2 cups cold water
1 cup long grain or basmati rice
1 teaspoon kosher salt + salt to taste
3/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1/2 cup diced red bell pepper, cut in 1/4-inch dice
1/2 cup diced yellow bell pepper, cut in 1/4-inch rice
1/4 cup olive oil
3 tablespoons tablespoons fresh lime juice
Zest of 1 lime
Freshly cracked pepper to taste

Directions:

1) Bring water to a boil in a 3-quart pan set over high heat. Stir in rice and salt and bring back to a boil. Immediately cover pan and lower heat. Simmer for 20 minutes. Remove from heat. Let rice sit, covered, for another 10 minutes.
2) Transfer rice to a large pan. I use a roasting pan to assure enough space to thoroughly mix rice with other ingredients. Add cilantro, red and yellow peppers, olive oil, lime zest and juice and salt and pepper to taste. Mix well. Serve immediately or cover and let sit at room temperature until ready to serve. Yield: 4 servings.

You might also enjoy these recipes:
Moors and Christians - One Perfect Bite
Forbidden Rice and Jewel Toned Grains - One Perfect Bite
Arroz con Pollo - One Perfect Bite

64 comments :

Rue said...

I love cilantro - this would be a good summer dish!

Monet said...

This would pair perfectly with our favorite enchilada dish. Thanks for sharing a great summer side dish!

chamki said...

Lime and cilantro go so well together also with fresh mint and basil - that's what i usually do. Very fresh dish. Ciao!

Mami said...

Thanks for stopping by.
i am Japanese,so I have rice everyday.
This rice salad is the new recipe for me. Not sure tastes seems sushi?
I'll try it soon.:)

Priya Suresh said...

Very delicious and yummy salad..

pigpigscorner said...

Must be so fragrant with the cilantro! Very refreshing.

Diane said...

I am very much a cilantro fan so this will be a good recipe for me. Thanks. Have a good day. Diane

Sushma Mallya said...

Rice looks absolutely divine and use of cilantro must have made it so flavourful and nice :)...i just loved the click :)

Sonia ~ Nasi Lemak Lover said...

rice become salad, this is new to me. anyway, this look beuatiful and healthy!

Allie and Pattie said...

We actually have a block party coming up so for 36 it is! Thank you Mary!
xoxo Pattie

Rachana said...

The rice salad looks so refreshing and delicious. I loved the click :-)

Joanne said...

You know, between the cilantro, lime, and pepper, this might just become my favorite rice dish. Throw in some black beans and it would be a perfect lunch salad!

Rita said...

I must say your pictures and recipe are very inviting!this one is on my must try list;thank you.
Rita

tata | bonitafood said...

I thought it was a fried rice post when I saw it for the first time without reading the title. Ah, you got me! Ha ha. Looks drooling as always btw :D

Mausi said...

I love cilantro and this looks like a perfect dish for hot summer day!

Julie said...

Hi, Mary! Beautiful salad. Love the colors. We're not big cilantro fans at my house. I am going to try this using basil and serving it warm.

Martha said...

This looks really good -- I'm so tired of "Spanish rice" with Mexican meals -- this looks yummy and fresh!

FOODESSA said...

Minus the cilantro...sorry not a fan...everything else looks delicious!
Mary you do cook so much...I wouldn't mind being your neighbour...especially when I'm not exactly in the mood for being in the kitchen ;0)
Flavourful wishes, Claudia

penny aka jeroxie said...

Very refreshing indeed! Makes a great side dish for fish too.

Schnitzel and the Trout said...

Mary, how wonderful of you to share this recipe. It has everything I love and I always need one of those recipes for the block party gatherings. Thanks.

Valerie Harrison (bellini) said...

It is easy to see why you would make this time and time again Mary. I believe I have stopped my search for a recipe to go with my Mexican tosados.

Debbi Does Dinner Healthy said...

I love cilantro and this rice looks awesome! SO PRETTY! I like pretty food!

Anonymous said...

Originally feeds 36 people!! Love those kind of recipes. I have "baked ziti for 4,000" from the West Point cookbook. Good stuff.

Funny how tastes work ... my mom thinks cilantro tastes like dirt, but i could put it in anything. Cilantro-lime ice cream, maybe?

This is one of those great dishes to make in a big batch, then use it as a side for a couple or three dinners. Or grill one extra chicken breast, chop it up, and add it to the salad for lunch.

Someone needs to invent an app so i can bookmark all of everyone else's recipes into one convenient, searchable format. I know, I could just bookmark them on my browser, but it needs to be searchable.

pam said...

What a pretty colorful salad. I am always looking for rice sidedishes for Mexican food.

Foley said...

Happy you showed the recipe for the smaller version - Sounds like a great side dish with a different twist!

Lorraine said...

Hi. Thanks for stopping by my blog.

Wonderful rice recipe. I am always looking for new sides to serve with the Mexican dishes I prepare. This will work perfectly:) Thanks!

A SPICY PERSPECTIVE said...

So fresh and yummy! I love adding nutty basmati rice to non-Indian dishes. Brilliant!

Taylor said...

This looks delicious! I love anything with cilantro in it...and I bet those peppers really add a lot of flavor :)

T.W. Barritt at Culinary Types said...

This has the best of summer's ingredients - what a colorful addition to the meal!

Sushma Mallya said...

Looks so beautiful...sorry couldnt come to your blog all these days as i wasnt feeling well...have a nice day mary,take care

Lucie said...

I would be tempted to make the 36 servings just for myself...this is a perfect summer rice salad! Thanks for sharing, Mary!

Miss Meat and Potatoes said...

This makes the Texan in me very happy. Wonderful flavors in this one. Thanks for sharing!

PranisKitchen said...

i am grt fan of rice. so this rice salad is my favorite too..what a nice flavorful combination of ingredients mary..sure its tsate super yum

Jeannie said...

Lovely all the colors!I would be enticed to try some too!

Eliana said...

This looks so full of flavor Mary. Especially with all that cilantro running through it - my favorite herb.

Salsa Verde said...

Fantastic rice. The colours are amazing and it sounds so delicious!!
Love,
Lia.

☺lani☺ said...

I don't know why I don't like the taste of cilantro or probably the smell... maybe I'll try to appreciate it, because most of my recipes need cilantro but I'm skipping it!
This looks good!

Jennifer said...

Man just looking at that salad I an almost taste how fresh and yummy it is!

Cooking with Kait said...

This would be great for a block party especially since it's best at room temperature. Thanks for the recipe!

The Blonde Duck said...

I love SW dishes!

eleni said...

What an excellent refreshing rice salad... well done with this healthy food!!

RamblingTart said...

This is so light and fresh and cooling, Mary. I think it's a perfect summery dish. :-) And I would love to take it to work with me for quick lunches.

Barbara said...

I love those southwest flavors, Mary, but must admit I am not a fan of cilantro. Perhaps some parsley and maybe some cumin will make the salad perfect for me. The lime must make this taste so fresh!

Have a lovely weekend!

Ana Powell said...

Wow what a lovely coriander rice recipe.
Awesome photo too.
Excellent work ♥

MyExperimentsWithFood said...

Looks very simple and sounds delicious.

FOODalogue said...

Looks delicious and so nice + fluffy. I used to go Arizona 206 too. It was very cutting edge in its day.

Maria said...

So colorful and tasty too:)

Unknown said...

This looks great Mary. Thanks for the recipe.

Jen_from_NJ said...

I love how colorful this rice is. The photo is stunning! I just know that my family will enjoy this one. I love recreating favorite restaurant dishes also.

Tasha said...

My husband LOVES rice and I am always on the lookout for new recipes using it. This would be a hit in my house, I am sure!

Pam said...

This is my kind of recipe Mary... I can't wait to try it.

The Words Crafter said...

Wow, even I can do this one!!! Thanks so much-just in time for a dinner at work!

nanny said...

sounds like it could easily become my favorite....i love all of the flavors...and in one dish....yum!

Baking is my Zen...sweet nibbles for the soul said...

The rice salad looks colorful...and i can't get enough cilantro...sooo good!

Montauk was beautiful...my room was right on the ocean...breathtaking!

Carmen

We Are Not Martha said...

I love when rice is pretty! This is perfect for a Mexican feast :) Love the lime and cilantro combo!

Sues

Kim said...

The bell peppers look like little colorful pieces of confetti! A very pretty salad indeed.

Andrea said...

This looks so wonderful! I also wanted to thank you for your comment on my blog, which was one of the nicest I've ever received. Also, I love recipes like this, because I'm always looking for things that pack well for lunch, and this definitely fits the bill

Diana's Cocina said...

Oh Mary, I have a feeling you made this just for me! My Pork Chile Verde recipe would be complete with this rice salad.

Devaki said...

Dear Mary - This is such a great and simple salad for any accompaniment from enchiladas to adobo to roast chicken!

Love your summer recipes.

Ciao, Devaki @ weavethousandflavors

Anna said...

This dish make me hungry! I love rice and here in Liguria it's very used to make risotto...
thanks for the recipe. A presto, Anna

Lana said...

This would be a great variation on Mexican rice, now that the temperature is inching up. Good one for my veggie-head, too!

Karen said...

Pretty colors in this salad and yes, I think it'd be great for a potluck or BBQ!

Candace said...

This look amazing! The perfect dish for my weekend. Thanks so much for sharing this recipe.
Candace

Ima Wannabe Cook said...

I've made this recipe several times usually just as a light and easy to prepare side dish. It is wonderful. Leftovers are just as good the next day with the addition of a spritz of lime juice and a pinch of salt.

It is going to be made as a "palate cleanser" later on this month for a chili cook-off. I figure it'll be appreciate between samples of the competing chilis.

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