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Cold Rice with Parsley Pesto and Seafood

17/11/2023

I can guide you in preparing a delicious Cold Rice with Parsley Pesto and Seafood, a fresh and tasty variant of the classic seafood risotto, perfect for warm days or as a single dish for a summer lunch.

Ingredients

  • 300 g of salad rice (such as Orzo or Basmati)
  • 200 g of mixed seafood (mussels, clams, shrimp, squid)
  • 1 bunch of fresh parsley
  • 1 clove of garlic
  • 30 g of pine nuts (or almonds if you prefer)
  • 60 ml of extra virgin olive oil
  • Juice of 1 lemon
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • 1 chili pepper (optional)

Preparation

  1. Begin with cooking the rice. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil and cook the rice according to the package instructions to achieve an al dente texture. Drain and cool it under running water, then let it cool completely.

  2. While the rice is cooling, prepare the seafood. If using frozen seafood, thaw it before use. In a skillet, cook the seafood with a drizzle of oil and a peeled garlic clove. If desired, you can add a splash of white wine and let it evaporate. Cook until they are well opened and cooked through, then let cool.

  3. Now prepare the parsley pesto. In a blender, put the parsley leaves, pine nuts (or almonds), the peeled garlic clove, lemon juice, extra virgin olive oil, salt, pepper, and the chili pepper if you want it spicy. Blend everything until you have a creamy and homogeneous sauce.

  4. In a large salad bowl, combine the cold rice with the parsley pesto, mixing well to evenly season the rice.

  5. Add the now cooled seafood to the rice and mix gently to avoid breaking the shellfish. Taste and adjust for salt and pepper if necessary.

  6. Let your Cold Rice with Parsley Pesto and Seafood rest in the refrigerator for at least one hour before serving. This will allow the flavors to intensify and blend well.

There you have it, your Cold Rice with Parsley Pesto and Seafood is ready to be enjoyed!

Curiosity

This dish combines the fresh and aromatic flavor of parsley pesto, which is a less known but equally tasty variant of the classic Genovese pesto, with the richness of seafood, characteristic of Mediterranean cuisine. Cold rice turns out to be an ideal choice for the warm months, as it is refreshing and can be prepared in advance.