Cookaholics Bulletin Board

Alina, I'm not much for recipes when it comes to salads like this. I just go by taste and what's on hand.

Brown Rice & Italian Sausage Salad
3-4 cups cooked brown rice
2-3 Italian sausages, skins removed, sliced about 1/2" thick and fried
1 cup diced red peppers (Jarred if you prefer)
1 cup or so sliced green onion
1/4 cup minced parsley
1/4 cup sliced basil
1 cup cherry tomatoes cut in half & seeds removed
S&P to taste
Your best/favorite vinaigrette. Our favorite is pretty garlicy.

Combine all.
Not too much vinaigrette.
If you have grilled sausages on hand, slice and use them.
Red peppers can be roasted or not.
I do try to get all the seeds and liquid out of the tomatoes.
Use your own judgment on quantity of parsley and basil
This is also good made with white beans or leftover pasta.
Little cubes of cheese are also good.
Use as much or as little of each ingredient as you prefer.

fitzie

Thanks Fitzie, I always appreciate a starting point, so I've copied to my LC. I tested the brown salad that is July issue of CI and really enjoyed it. Before, I wasn't partial to any kind of rice in salads.

I was curious though, about skinning the sausage if its going to be sliced and grilled or fried. I've never done that. I only skin sausage when I am going to crumble the meat.

I was thinking that I could sub Spanish chorizo. I had bought extra for a lentil test recipe I nevern got around to making. Thanks again.

Absolutely. Chorizo would be delicious. As I said, I use whatever I have on hand. We have a new butcher shop in town and I hear they have excellent sausages. I'm dying to try them.

About skinning the sausage, they don't really fall apart. I'm just not fond of the casing so I remove it. No big deal and you certainly don't have to.

fitzie

All the salads sound wonderful. I really need to be more create with salads. I like main dish salads best. I get tired of letuce based salads. I make a good orzo and fresh corn salad, but only have it as a side. It would probably be good with chicken or sausages added.

I make sausage and potatoes quite often. I never skinned them until recently when my mom was here and said to do so. I like it better now and like Fitzie said they don't fall apart.