Marinated tomato-rice salad

Yield: 12 sweet ones

Measure Ingredient
7 mediums Size Ripe tomatoes;
\N \N (about 2 lbs, cored
½ cup Cider vinegar;
1 tablespoon Sugar or equal to sugar substitute
3 cups Brown rice;
2 smalls Cucumbers; pared, halved seeded and diced (about 1 1/2 cups)
1 cup Parsley; chopped
½ cup Olive oil;
9 \N Green onions; thinly sliced
1 teaspoon Salt;
½ teaspoon Pepper;

Prepare a tomato rose for the garnish. Starting at the bottom of one of the tomatoes, cut the skin of the tomato with a vegetable peeler in one long continuous strip, about ¼ inch wide. Starting at the with the end you first removeed, roll the strip, skinside out, into a rose shape. Cover with damp paper toweling and refrigerate until needed. Cut 5 of the remaining, plus the peeled tomato into ¼" cubes. Place in a medium-size bowl. Add vinegar, basil and sugar; stir to mix well. Cover; marinate in the refrierator for 1 hour. Cook the rice following label directions.

Drain; cool to room temperature. Combine the rice, cucumber and parsly in a large bowl. Stir in the olive oil. Add green onion, marinated tomatoes, salt and pepper; stir to mix well. Pack 3 cups of the rice mixture into a 3½ quart bowl. Cut the remaining tomato into ¾" cubes. Arrange the cubes, skin side out, in a ring around the outside of the bowl. Add remaining rice mixture to the bowl, pack well. Cover; refrigerate for 1 hour. To serve, gently run a thin spatula arond the inside of the bowl.

Invert the salad onto a large serving plate. Garnish the top with the tomato rose. Source: The Best of Family Circle Cookbook Brought to you and yours via Nancy O'Brion and her Meal-Master

Similar recipes