The desire for fresh and quick dishes to prepare is always directly proportional to the temperatures that afflict us. The hotter it gets, the more we crave simple recipes. Cold rice with speck and zucchini that I propose today is the perfect answer because it is light, tasty, easy to make, and not the usual rice salad with tuna, hot dogs, and pickles. It is ideal for a summer meal and a tasty lunch break even outside the house (beach, picnic, office). The combination of ingredients is excellent, which, although few and very common, blend perfectly. The speck, with its strong and smoky flavor, contrasts pleasantly with the sweetness of the rice and zucchini and provides that crunchy note that is always welcome. Everything is then enriched with a cheese cream that makes the dish even more delicious. In short… a new idea to reinvent a preparation that is a classic of summer.
Other similar recipes you might be interested in:
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Economical
- Preparation time: 15 Minutes
- Portions: 4 servings
- Cooking methods: Boiling, Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: Spring, Summer
Ingredients for Cold Rice with Speck and Zucchini
For this recipe, I used Roma rice, a large-grained rice that holds its shape well during cooking. If you prefer, you can replace it with Arborio or Parboiled rice.
- 2 1/3 cups Roma rice
- 2 cups zucchini (net weight after trimming)
- 1 red onion (small)
- 3.5 oz speck (thick slices)
- 3.5 oz robiola cheese
- chives (a few sprigs)
- extra virgin olive oil
- salt
- black pepper
Tools
- 1 Pot
- 1 Pan medium
- 1 Pan small
- 1 Bowl small
- Scissors
Preparation of Cold Rice with Speck and Zucchini
Boil the rice in plenty of salted boiling water, drain and cool it under running water. Then transfer it to a bowl, drizzle with a bit of olive oil, and place it in the refrigerator while proceeding with the rest of the preparation.
Trim the zucchini, wash them, and cut them first into chunks, then into slices, and finally into cubes.
In a medium-sized pan, heat a tablespoon of oil and sauté the finely chopped onion. Let it sizzle for a few moments, then add the zucchini and brown them over medium heat for 6/7 minutes, stirring often. Once cooked, salt and pepper to taste.
Cut the speck slices into small pieces, then brown them in a small pan with a drizzle of oil until they are golden and crispy. Then transfer them to kitchen paper and blot to remove excess grease.
In a small bowl, mix the robiola with the chives chopped with scissors, a pinch of salt, a generous grind of black pepper, and 2 tablespoons of olive oil.
Add this cheese cream to the bowl of rice and mix until perfectly incorporated.
Finally, add the zucchini and crispy speck. Mix carefully to combine all the ingredients and adjust salt and pepper if necessary. Enjoy! Paola.
I take this opportunity to remind you that you can follow me on various social media to always be updated on the new recipes I publish. You can find me on Facebook (HERE), on Twitter (HERE), on Pinterest (HERE), on Instagram (HERE) and also on Tik Tok (@zenzero_limone). Thank you ♥!
