Roasted Radiccio Rice Salad

How do you get a white rice fan to eat whole grain rices? Make it so he'll never know with this rice salad. Thick with flavor, this surprise dinner was hearty and comforting.

I've been using this organic Himalayan rice mix myself for a while, but George hasn't sampled it, preferring instead his gummy, five-minute white rice. Which I continue to buy for him. Anyway, this was one of those nights where time got away from me and I had to whip something up using ingredients we had on hand. Luckily, last week's Costco excursion garnered some artichoke hearts, a tub of pesto, and 2# of cherry tomatoes.

Roasted Radiccio Rice Salad

1 head radiccio, rinsed and drained, halved and sliced into 2" pieces
1 T balsamic vinegar
1 T EVOO
salt & pepper
1/2 tsp sugar
10 cherry tomatoes, washed and halved

2 cups cooked rice, preferably whole grain*
handful greek olives, pitted
handful chopped artichoke hearts
1 T pesto
chopped italian parsley, oregano or basil, if on hand
small handful cubed feta cheese

Heat the oven to 350º while you prep the radiccio. Toss the radiccio leaves with the balsamic, 1 T EVOO, salt and pepper and place in a deep baking dish coated with nonstick spray. Bake 10 minutes, stir, then add tomatoes over the top and sprinkle with sugar. Return to oven to bake another 10 minutes, until all radiccio is brown and soft and the tomatoes are losing shape. Set aside.

In a large saute pan, heat a teaspoon of olive oil over medium heat. Add the rice and shake around to coat evenly with oil, letting it warm up gently. When warm, add the radiccio-tomato mix, olives and artichokes. Add the pesto and let it melt into the ingredients, stirring to combine. Take off the heat and add herbs, if using, and the feta. Toss lightly to combine, adding salt or pepper to taste.

Makes two oversized main servings or a side dish for four.

*Note: Any cooked rice will do for this. Mine is equal parts brown basmati, long grain red and brown rices and pearl barley. I cooked it according to package directions, except with half the salt plus a vegetable buillion cube with the water for extra flavor.