Show 11.10
Watch Community Cooking daily at 9:30 A.M., 10:00 A.M., 3:30 P.M. and 6:30 P.M. only on CitiCABLE 3

Rice Salad, Marinated Tomato Salad With Pasta
Guest Chef Jeannette Bryant

Rice Salad with Roasted Red Peppers, Chickpeas, and Feta Cheese
2 ½ to 3 cups cold, cooked long-grained white rice
1 16-oz can chickpeas, rinsed well and drained
¾ cup finely diced feta cheese
2/3 cup diced roasted red peppers, store-bought or freshly roasted (I get mine at the Farmers' Market; one container equals roughly 2/3 cup)
½ cup chopped fresh parsley
¼ cup chopped fresh dill or 2 teaspoons dried
3 scallions, very thinly sliced (I used 2 cloves of garlic, crushed, since Gerald doesn't eat onions)

The Dressing
¼ cup fresh lemon juice
2 garlic cloves, put through a press or minced
Generous seasoning of ground black pepper (I used ¼ tsp.)
Salt
¼ cup olive oil

1. Combine the rice, chickpeas, feta cheese, peppers, parsley, dill, and scallions in a large bowl and toss well.
2. Combine all the dressing ingredients in a jar with a tight-fitting lid and shake vigorously.  Pour the dressing on the rice mixture and mix thoroughly.  Let sit at least an hour or up to 8 hours before serving.  Serve at room temperature.  (I put it together early in the day, and let it sit 8 hours.)

--Serves 4 as a main course

Marinated Tomato Sauce
Basic Sauce:
2-3 lbs. ripe tomatoes
½ tsp. salt
1-2 large cloves of garlic, minced
3-4 Tbs. extra-virgin oil
1-2 Tbs. balsamic vinegar
12-15 leaves of fresh basil cut into thin strips
Freshly ground black pepper

Optional Additions and Embellishments That I Like to Use
½ lb. mild cheese, cut into small cubes
  (smoked gouda or the Spring Hill Jersey white cheddar from the Farmers' Market are both great choices)
1-2 Tbs. capers
3-4 Tbs. lightly toasted walnuts

1. Seed the tomatoes.  Chop them into bite-sized pieces and place in a medium-sized bowl.
2. Add all the other ingredients and stir gently.  Cover and let marinate-in the refrigerator or at room temperature-for at least 30 minutes.

I like begin marinating the tomatoes in the morning, or even the day before I plan on using them.  I bring them to room temperature, and then toss them with ½ to 1 lb. of pasta.  Great warm, or served at room temperature.