Look what I made! Cold Lemon Rice Salad sprinkled with flower petals from the garden. It has a refreshing, clean, lemony flavor, looks so pretty and serves eight. Delicious with spareribs, barbecued chicken, grilled salmon, almost anything.
Here’s the recipe: 3 c. raw white rice; 1/3 c. white wine vinegar; 3 Tbsp. vegetable oil; zest of one lemon; 3 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice; 6 scallions (including green part), minced; 1 tsp. salt; freshly ground black pepper; your choice of fresh herb: basil, dill, or cilantro.
Rinse the rice in a colander. Put it in a pot with 6 ½ c. cold water; bring to a boil; cover and simmer for 15-20 min. until water is absorbed. Remove from heat; let stand 5 min. Fluff with fork; toss lightly with all other ingredients. Chill. Optional: garnish the salad with fresh unsprayed flowers from the garden…marigolds, pansies, johnny jump-ups, scented geraniums (not citronella), nasturtium, borage, any herb flowers, like thyme, chamomile, lemon verbena. And one last thing, soak the rice pan in cold water, to get the starch off.
Love your cookbooks and your blog and your writing style—keep up the good work!
This is so wonderful!! I made another version with lime juice, honey,cilantro, and added some fresh sweet corn, red peppers, cayenne and black beans…bith are a huge hit!! Happy picnicing!
Soak the rice? Before cooking…how long? Sounds yummy, can’t wait to try it!
You don’t really soak it, you just rinse it and then cook it.
Sue S., You’re soaking the PAN that the rice was cooked in. An old trick to cleaning any pan used for cooking starchy foods.
Susan, Love your recipes and your writing style. I adore traveling with you. It makes me feel as if I am actually there too! I can almost smell the roses and meadows you describe so beautifully.
Thankyou, thankyou, thankyou for your wonderful blogs from across the pond. Everyday I would go straight from my bed to my computer to see what and where you and Joe were going. You transported and included me to each meadow, tea room and car trip. It was an amazing blog and I want you to know how much I appreciated you taking time from your dream to write about it, to all us girlfriends. I know you Susan, it won’t stop here, so Iam already anticipating your creativity with all you saw, photographed and drew! I can’t believe I actually went to England thru you and saw, heard, tasted and smelled all it had to offer, just as I imagined!!!! Thanks again…
You are so welcome!!! You are ALL welcome, it was my total pleasure, I’m so happy you enjoyed it!!!!!!!!
What a wonderful trip!! Loved every bit. I was anxiously waiting to hear about Girl kitty and Jack. We’ll never know what goes through their little minds, but the total JOY and relief when you came through the door must have been incredible to them. Good they had each other. Jack looks older, but still has his mischievous look about him. I’m sure they were in good hands, but they’re so pleased you’re home!!!
Welcome home!
We arrived on Martha’s Vineyard the day you left. It was a wonderful visit and I’ve been dreaming of it ever since!
Dear Susan,
I’ve loved you and your work for years. Now that I’m 70 and slowing down some (but NOT completely!) it’s especially nice to travel with you in the comfort of my own chair and in my own pajamas…and tea…and cookies. Thanks for all your cheerful endeavors–you definitely brighten my days.
Thank you Elaine!
Thank you for all your blogs. Like others I felt like I was traveling with you and Joe
Howwere your kitties when you got home? It was a long trip and I know they missed you
We all love you Susan !!
Thank you Mary, I love you back! The kitties were happy, but they couldn’t be as happy as me!
Your lovely site cheers me up. I can use my imagination and travel from home.
Love your gardens. Couple of times I marched right out to my garden and “did something” in spite of the onslought of critters and heat. Also enjoy looking at and hearing about your kitty adventures. Still getting used to the absence of my 15 year old kitty named Yardly Lavender. Gotta get busy and round up a couple of cuties.
Ohhh, Yardly Lavender. What a darling name. I’m so sorry. Yes, a couple of cuties would be just right!
My comment is waiting moderation? I did write in my name and email as required. What do I need to change?
Probably I was just busy doing something else, I have to approve each one — so unless our gremlins ate it, you should see it soon!
I am enjoying your e mails so much. I love your house, your flag flying, the gardens, and of course your two darling little furry babies. I too like to fill my pale blue canning jars with the current flowers from my garden and perch them on my kitchen sink window ledge. Just for me. Makes that chore easier. Thank you Susan for taking me away to your lovely island home. Ruth
I love making this with basmati rice. I really love the long grains and it never gets soggy. Plus it’s an easy rice to work with when still warm. I like using EVOO but if I want more of an Asian flavour, I’ll use a mix of EVOO and sesame oil and add some green onion. Sometimes I’ll use lime juice and some fresh minced Thai chilis. This is so versatile!
I love using flowers, too! Nasturtiums are great in salads as well as rose petals from your own bushes. Another thing that is great are the flowers from garlic chives. I have those in abundance and they are so pretty!
And they taste delicious! Thank you Ann!
Will definitely try this rice recipe …love your books, I have most of them and have reread several …they brighten my days and nights! thank you for your humor, artistic abilities, encouragement and sense of (our) shared history…so many of us boomers can relate to your journey thus far! And for me every bit of it! I too moved to a whole other state not knowing anyone and needing that time to regroup and come to know myself better after a 20 yr marriage and after having had children from the time I was 18! it was the very first time ever living by myself so I could relate to Martha’s Vineyard, Isle of Dreams.love and blessings to you Susan, and thank you from the deepest part of the girl in me, Bindu
Good for brave you! Sending love . . . xoxo
I am going to try the Lemon Rice recipe eventually. It sounds delicious.
I have sad news though. My husband passed away June 30 & his funeral was July 9. He has been ill for several years with different things but what he actually died from was COPD & Congestive Heart disease. We would have been married 62 years in November. We live in a Historial home in MN that is big & we have been gradually restoring it. He was so proud of his home. (I sent a picture to you, Susan when you were gone. Just a couple bigger ones. I am not so good on the computer so I didn’t attempt to transmit them.
I enjoyed your letters from your trip.
I’m so sorry DeLores, a loss beyond words. Wishing you a peaceful heart full of memories. xoxoxo
Thanks for the cold rinse trick! Somehow, that had escaped me!
Love all the pink in your current blog!
Peace,
Patti
This recipe says to rinse the rice before cooking. Are you supposed to rinse it after too?
I do! I used to feel insecure about that (which is why it’s not written in the recipe!), but it makes it so much better, and I’m not afraid to say so! Try it and see what you think!
I make a similar recipe. I use rice cauliflower rather than actual rice. I saute it in 2 Tbsp. of good quality olive oil. I just saute it until the bite is taken out of the cauliflower. Don’t overcook it, as it will be mushy. I continue in a similar fashion as you did, however, I add a splash of freshly finely grated lemon zest. I take a small handful of mint and Italian parsley which I chop finely in my mini-food processor rather than the herbs you chose. I do not add the flowers but I might give them a try next time. Letting all the flavors marry together until very cold in the refrigerator.
Yummy! Flowers just makes it festive, like bunting in the rice! Might add some pomegranate seeds to both recipes! Cooking is so creative! Thank you Isobel!
Love the idea of trying that Lemon Rice Salad, sounds so good. Thank you for all of your Blogs, pictures and adventures Susan.
So grateful that we were in Alaska and had turned off our phones. We totally missed Amorosa. I am trying to stay off the internet, but I had to check in with your blog. It is always a happy experience.
Good luck with the dining room re-do (Navy sounds intriguing!), the beginnings of your book(s), and hopefully, cooler weather. We are surviving the Red Tide, which is killing so many marine species…very sad for the gulf coast of Florida.
I am going to try the rice salad for dinner tonight. It sounds refreshing with some leftover chicken.
Thanks for always making the day a bit better.
Red tide, I’m so sorry. Hope you liked the rice salad! It’s exactly the opposite of a red tide!