A Cool Summer Salad of Rice, Fresh Corn, Cherry Tomatoes and Red Onion

Rice has so much potential.  It's not just a side, but available for pudding, main dish, or even sushi.  Usually I cook a blend of white Bismati, brown long grain and wild, just for interest's sake, but often have a bunch left over.  That can become fried rice, or just be re-heated as an accompaniment, however my salad was a delightful development, especially in this weather, when I don't want to turn my oven on at all.

 We've been getting some wonderful fresh corn in our market, so when I thought of a rice salad, the combinations of mesoamerica came to mind.  Corn, yes!  Lovely little tomatoes, olives and yellow bell pepper all started flying out of my fridge.

You want to do this dish in sections.  A little bowl for the red onion slivers to macerate in some cold salt water while the rest is coming together, the rice being cooked or the left-over batch being tossed with olive oil and a bit of onion, the corn steaming, then cooling down.

Since I had cooked rice in the fridge, it needed to be resusitated.  I heated a pot, added some olive oil and fried the white onion til translucent before adding in my rice and seasoning.

 Rice and Corn Cool Summer Salad

2 cups cooked rice, a blend is nice
1 cup fresh corn, steamed, cooled and scraped from cob
1/4 cup red or yellow bell pepper, chopped
1/2 cup thinly sliced red onion
1/4 cup white onion, chopped
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon Zahtar Mix seasoning (you can use your favorite combination)
1/4 cup sliced black olives
7 or 8 cherry tomatoes, sliced in quarters, lengthwise
2 teaspoons fresh marjoram
1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped
3 tablespoons oil and vinegar dressing

Heat a medium skillet, then add olive oil, and when hot add in the white onion.  Toss and fry until translucent and browning, then add the rice and Zahtar Mix.  Stir fry until blended and heated through.  Set aside to cool.

Husk and steam your corn, then set aside to cool.  Cut off the cobs with a chef's knife.

Slice the red onion thinly, then let it macerate in cold salt water for 10 minutes.  Drain and set aside.

Prepare the remaining ingredients (except parsley) and toss into a large salad bowl.  Add in the red onions, cooled rice and corn, the salad dressing (I usually have my own oil and vinegar mix in a little bottle in the fridge) and toss well.  Sprinkle the parsley on top and serve or chill further for later.

This was a perfect meal all by itself, with crunch, contrast and lots of good flavors ( the marjoram was a lovely piquant touch), going off to Hearth and Soul Blog Hop, hosted by Swathi of Zesty South Indian Kitchen.  Hop over to her site for some great recipe ideas.