Rice Salad with White Tuna and Roasted Piquillo Peppers
Arroz blanco con Bonito del Norte y Pimientos del Piquillo

Back to our Spanish Recipes The Moors probably brought Rice to Spain in the sixth century.  Whatever its origin, the average Spaniard manages to consume about 8 kilos of rice each year in a variety of dishes.  Unlike the traditional paella, this summer salad uses conventional and widely available long grain white rice.  It is delicious with grilled meats or fish, an ideal accompaniment to any barbeque.

Difficulty	Cooking Time	Servings
	25min.	6 Salad

Ingredients

• 500 grs long grain white rice
• 1 La Buena Vida Pimiento con Atun tapas kit (piquillo pepper, bonito tuna and olive oil)
• 3 tbsp good quality mayonnaise plus 1 tbsp to serve
• Salt
• Smoked paprika (optional)
• Baby leaves and herbs (optional for garnish)
• A little of olive oil

Instructions

1. Cook the rice in boiling salted water according to the supplier’s instructions.
2. Rinse under cold running water, drain and tip into a large bowl.
3. Drain the tuna of oil, flake with a fork and add to the rice.
4. Drain the peppers, chop into 1 cm dice and add to the rice and tuna mix.
5. Add the mayonnaise to the rice and mix thoroughly.
6. Salt the rice mixture to taste.
7. Brush the inside of a pudding bowl with the olive oil.
8. Spoon in the rice mixture and press down well to compact.
9. Cover with cling film and refrigerate for at least an hour.
10. When ready to serve, run a knife blade around the edge of the bowl and invert to turn the rice salad onto a serving plate.
11. Place the salad leaves and herbs around the base of the dish.  Put a dollop of mayonnaise on top and dust with paprika.

Tips and variations

• Add a pinch of saffron to the boiling water before cooking the rice to add a wonderful golden colour to the dish.