Recipe: Spiced Rice Salad (with raisins, dried apricots, and almonds or pine nuts)

SPICED RICE SALAD

"This is best made with fresh-cooked rice, although leftovers can be used. Filled with plumped dried fruits and some almonds or pine nuts and served at room temperature, this is a delicious side dish or even a light luncheon dish."

1/2 cup seedless raisins and/or currants
4 dried apricots, cut into small dice
Water
1 cup raw long-grain white rice (not instant)
1 (2-by-1-inch) piece ginger root, peeled and cut into 3 pieces
Salt and fresh-ground black pepper, to taste
1/4 teaspoon fresh-grated nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon coriander seeds, pounded in a mortar with pestle
1 shallot, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup olive oil, or to taste
1/4 cup toasted slivered almonds or pine nuts*

Place raisins and/or currants and apricots in a saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a simmer and cook about 4 minutes to plump. Drain well; set aside.

Cook rice with ginger root according to package directions. Drain well and remove ginger.

While rice is still warm, season with salt, pepper, nutmeg, coriander, shallots and lemon juice. Stir in enough olive oil to moisten but do not make it mushy. Stir in plumped fruit and nuts.

Serve at room temperature.

*TO TOAST NUTS:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spread nuts in a pie plate and toast in middle of oven about 8 minutes, or until fragrant and light brown.

Makes 6 servings
Adapted from source; Fort Lauderdale Sun Sentinel - You Asked for It, June 1, 2006