Hearty brown rice, coated with a thick, creamy, yet fresh, and light dressing, studded with cilantro, crispy pan roasted miniature potatoes, and summery zucchini. A perfectly balanced salad that could be served as a meal or a side dish, in the park or at home. Bright and lively, yet smooth and decadent this recipe is just perfect, and utterly addictive.
By Mariela Alvarez Toro
Over the past week, I had been milling over avocado’s potential as a super versatile super food. I was trying to come up with a recipe that would both amplify avocado’s creamy qualities while retaining its flavor; a recipe that would be as balanced as avocado itself. Having Eventually, I stumbled across the idea of transforming avocado into a silky smooth crema (fancy word for cream) that would serve as a base to a decadent, rich summer salad. A thick dressing that was refreshing and textured. 
And over the course of a walk through the market, I conceptualized this salad on a bright Saturday afternoon:
Hearty brown rice, coated with a thick, creamy, yet fresh, and light dressing, studded with lots of cilantro, crispy pan roasted miniature potatoes, and lots of summery zucchini. A perfectly balanced salad that could be served as a meal or a side dish, for lunch or dinner, in the park or at home. Bright and lively, yet smooth and decadent this recipe is just perfect, and utterly addictive.
I cant wait to make it again and eat it all!
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Aromatic Avocado Rice Salad with Potatoes and Summer Squash
- Total Time: 1 hour 5 mins
- Yield: 4 1x
Description
Hearty brown rice, coated with a creamy, fresh, and light dressing, studded with cilantro, crispy pan roasted miniature potatoes, and summery zucchini.
Ingredients
Dreamy Avocado Crema: Makes about 1 cup
- ½ avocado
- 1 tbsp. olive oil
- 1 tbsp. rice vinegar
- juice of half a lemon
- ½ inch knob of ginger, peeled
- ¾ cup water, plus more if thinner consistency is desired
- 1 handful cilantro
- ½ tbsp. tahini
- ½ tsp. salt, plus more to taste
Aromatic Green Avocado Rice with Potatoes and Squash
- 1 cup brown rice
- 1 ½ cups water
- 2 tbsp. olive oil
- 1 tsp. kosher salt
- 2 cups baby potatoes , washed and halved
- 1 zucchini,
- 1 large handful cilantro, chopped
- ½ cup Dreamy Avocado Crema
Instructions
Dreamy Avocado Crema: Makes about 1 cup
- Place all ingredients in blender. Puree at high speed until creamy and smooth. Taste for seasoning, and adjust as necessary. Transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate until ready to use.
- Keeps for a day in the refrigerator, but starts to loose its vibrancy after a couple hours.
Aromatic Green Avocado Rice with Potatoes and Squash
- Place 1 cup rice in a large bowl with 4-5 cups of water. Soak for three hours. Drain and rinse rice under cold water. Place rice in a large pot with a cup and half of water and a substantial pinch of salt. Bring water to a boil, then reduce heat to medium. Simmer until most of the water has been absorbed. Cover, and cook at low heat for 20 minutes. Rice will be ready when fluffy and soft, with a bite. Set aside.
- While rice cooks, prepare the potatoes and zucchini. Place a cast iron skillet over high heat. Add a tablespoon of olive oil and heat until it starts to smoke. Add washed and halved potatoes. Cook at high heat for 5-7 minutes. Potatoes should start to blister. Add zucchini that has been sliced into 1-inch pieces. Reduce heat to low and cover using foil paper. Cook for another 10 minutes. Both potatoes and zucchini should be tender and fully cooked.
- To assemble salad, place rice, half a cup of avocado crema, cilantro, and 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large bowl. Stir until evenly distributed. Add potatoes and zucchini. Taste for seasoning, and adjust. Stir until just incorporated. Serve immediately.
- Prep Time: 20 mins
- Cook Time: 45 mins
- Category: Side
