Confetti Salad

Number of Servings: 4-6

Salad Ingredients:

¾ cup (185 mL) white or brown long grain rice, uncooked

¼ cup (60 mL) chopped green onions
¼ cup (60 mL) finely chopped red onion
1 stalk of celery, fine dice
1 red, orange, yellow, or green pepper, fine dice
½ cup (125 mL) corn, cooked and cooled
2 tablespoons (30 mL) raisins
2 tablespoons (30 mL) chopped black olives

Vinaigrette:

1 clove of garlic, minced
1 teaspoon (5 mL) Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon (5 mL) maple syrup
1 ½ tablespoons (25 mL) white balsamic vinegar
¼ cup (60 mL) extra virgin olive oil
Sea salt; freshly ground black pepper

 Method:

1. Prepare rice: Bring a pot of water to a boil; add some salt; add rice. Cook, over low heat, until rice is tender (15 -20 minutes, depending on the type of rice-check package recommendations).
2. While rice is cooking, prepare vinaigrette: Combine garlic, mustard, maple syrup and vinegar. Whisk in oil until thick. Season to taste.
3. When rice has completed cooking, drain; give it a quick rinse under cold water; and spread on a parchment-lined baking sheet to cool a little more (5-10 minutes). Place in a salad bowl, and stir in 2-3 tablespoons of vinaigrette. Refrigerate to cool completely (1/2 hour).
4. Add onions, peppers, celery, corn, raisins, and olives. Mix to combine.
5. Pour remaining vinaigrette over salad and stir to fully combine. Refrigerate for about 1 hour before serving.   If salad has been refrigerated longer than an hour, let it come to room temperature before serving.