Black-Eyed Peas and Basmati Rice Salad

I'm a man of leisure in the summer, which gives me more time to try new recipes. It's not uncommon to try 3-4 new recipes a week. Out of those recipes, my family usually approves of 70-75 percent of them. However, some recipes are greeted with scrunched up noses as a scant servings are spooned onto plates. If a recipe doesn't receive approval, my wife will politely say, "It's OK, but you don't need to make it again."

I usually agree with their assessments of recipes, but sometimes I try something, I like it, they don't like it, and I lament the fact that I will rarely get to prepare the recipe.

This was the case with the black-eyed and basmati rice salad from the recent issue of the Food Network Magazine. I liked this salad because it's a nice change from potato or pasta salads, and it's a good way to use leftover cooked rice.

Black-Eyed Peas and Basmati Rice Salad

Salad

• 1/2 cup canned black-eyed peas, rinsed
• salt
• 1 1/2 to 2 cup basmati rice (For instructions on perfectly cooking rice, visit my post titled Rice, Rice, Baby!)
  
• 1 teaspoon minced
  
• 1/4 cup thinly slice red onion
• 1/2 cup finely chopped red bell pepper

Dressing:

• 2 tablespoons coarse-grain dijon mustard (I didn't have a coarse-grain dijon mustard, so I mixed a little coarse-grained mustard with plain ol' dijon mustard. I like the Inglehoffer brand.)
  
• 4 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro.
• salt and pepper to taste

1. Make the dressing: Whisk all ingredients, and adjust seasoning if necessary.
2. Toss the salad ingredients. Add dressing and toss again. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Later this week I'll prepare a salad with fennel, something Kansans rarely use in cooking. I'll keep you posted.

keep on the sunny side,
muddy