Reissalat mit Spargel (rice salad with asparagus)
Units
Temperature
Servings
Ingredients
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
Method
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.