Reissalat mit Spargel (rice salad with asparagus)
A cold rice salad built around blanched green asparagus and a mustard vinaigrette, the rice cooled and separated with a little oil before dressing so the grains stay distinct rather than clumping into a sticky mass. Shocking the asparagus in ice water right after blanching is what keeps its colour bright and its bite crisp rather than dull and soft.
Prep25 min
Cook15 min
Rest30 min
Servings4
Christoph's rice salad with asparagus, the asparagus shocked in ice water right after blanching to keep its colour and crunch.
Ingredients
Written for a 4 L pot
Units
Temperature
Servings
Salad
- 250 g long-grain rice rounded
- 400 g green asparagus, woody ends trimmed, cut into 3 cm pieces rounded
- 100 g cherry tomatoes, halved rounded
- 60 g spring onion, sliced rounded
Vinaigrette
- 30 ml white wine vinegar rounded
- 15 g Dijon mustard rounded
- 10 g honey rounded
- 60 ml olive oil rounded
- to taste fine salt rounded
- to taste freshly ground black pepper rounded
Dietary labels are a guide, not a guarantee. If you have an allergy, read the ingredients yourself.
Method
- Cook the rice in salted water according to the packet instructions. Drain, spread on a tray to cool, and toss with a teaspoon of oil to keep the grains separate.
- Bring a pot of salted water to the boil. Blanch the asparagus for 3 to 4 minutes, until tender but still bright green and offering a slight resistance. Drain immediately and plunge into a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking. Drain again once cooled.
- Whisk the vinegar, mustard and honey together. Whisk in the olive oil gradually until combined. Season with salt and pepper.
- Combine the cooled rice, asparagus, cherry tomatoes and spring onion in a large bowl. Toss with the vinaigrette.
- Let sit at least 30 minutes before serving, so the flavours combine; it is also good made further ahead.
Notes
- Cool the rice with a little oil tossed through before dressing. Dressing hot or sticky rice makes for a gluey salad; cooled and lightly oiled, the grains stay separate and take on the vinaigrette evenly.
- Shock the asparagus in ice water immediately after blanching. Skipping this lets residual heat continue cooking it, turning it dull green and soft rather than staying bright and crisp.
- This salad improves with a short rest, giving the vinaigrette time to soak into the rice, but do not make it more than a day ahead, since the asparagus loses its bite over time.
- It keeps for 2 days in the fridge, though it is best within the first day.
Ingredient substitutions
- Green asparagus can be white asparagus, peeled first and blanched slightly longer.
- Honey can be maple syrup or agave for a vegan version.
- A handful of toasted pine nuts scattered over is a good, though optional, textural addition.
From Christoph Mayer