I recently recieved a bottle of Filippo Berio olive oil from BzzAgent for a campaign. Let me start by saying that I've tried many, many brands of olive oil, and have never really found one that I love. Until now, that is. I honestly enjoyed Filippo Berio EVOO so much that it was gone before I knew it! Seriously! It's light flavor is a good accompaniment to any dish.
I used it for drizzling, frying....literally anything I could think of. My favorite recipe, however, was the Mediterranean Rice Salad recipe I found. Yum!
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 1/2 cups long-grain rice
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil 1 clove garlic, minced
1 teaspoon fresh oregano, minced
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/8 to 1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes
2 cups chopped spinach leaves
1 red bell pepper, finely chopped
1 small cucumber, peeled, seeded, and finely chopped
1/2 cup chopped green onion
1/2 cup chopped kalamata olives
1 cup crumbled feta cheese
1. In a medium saucepan, bring 2 1/2 cups water to a boil. Add 1/2 tsp. salt and the rice. Turn heat to low, cover, and simmer 15 minutes. Remove from heat and let sit 5 minutes. Uncover and fluff with a fork.
2. In a large bowl, whisk lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, oregano, pepper, pepper flakes, and remaining tsp. salt.
3. Add rice to dressing and toss to combine. Add spinach, toss, and let sit until no longer steaming, about 20 minutes. Add remaining ingredients and toss to combine. Serve at room temperature or cold.
Since I didn't have olives (also, I don't really like them) I substituted one medium tomato. You can use dried oregano if you don't plan on eating it right away. I recommend placing it in the refrigerator for about an hour. I also added a little dried mint (you could also use fresh mint if yo have it). WOW! What a great side dish for the summer :)
