Insalata di Riso

• • • Makes 6 to 8 servings • • •

This salad was a specialty of my mother’s oldest sister, Gilda, and it has always been one of my favorites. Is it necessary to use only ingredients you preserved yourself? Absolutely not. You can find just about all the ingredients in a good Italian deli, and of course you may add as many or as few as you like.

Fine sea salt

1½ cups (300 g) Arborio rice

1 (7-ounce) can solid tuna in olive oil, plus a couple tablespoons of oil from the can

1 cup (142 g) chopped Classic Giardiniera (page 61), drained

½ cup (85 g) Brine-Cured Olives (page 179), drained, pitted and cut into 2 or 3 pieces

½ cup (85 g) Sweet-and-Sour Roasted Peppers with Capers (page 38) or Hot-and-Sweet Pickled Peppers (page 70), drained

½ cup (85 g) chopped Baby Artichokes in Oil (page 26), drained

¼ cup (43 g) sliced Oil-Preserved Asparagus (page 29), drained

¼ cup (43 g) Eggplant in Oil (page 36), drained

¼ cup (43 g) Giulia’s Pickled Zucchini (page 66), drained

¼ cup (43 g) Spiced Pickled Mushrooms (page 67), drained

2 to 4 tablespoons Wine-Spiked Julienne Carrots (page 63), drained

2 to 4 Cipollini in Agrodolce (page 60), drained and cut into quarters

3 hard-boiled large eggs, cut into pieces

3 best-quality anchovy fillets, finely chopped

2 tablespoons minced fresh flat-leaf parsley

1 tablespoon capers, preferably salt-packed, rinsed, drained, and coarsely chopped

3 tablespoons mayonnaise

Juice of ½ lemon

Freshly ground black pepper

1 • Bring a pot of water to a boil over high heat and salt it generously. Add the rice and let it come to a boil. Cover, reduce the heat to medium-low, and cook at a gentle simmer until the rice is al dente, about 20 minutes. Drain and then transfer to a large bowl.

2 • Add the tuna in large chunks, plus a couple tablespoons of oil from the jar, and toss gently to coat the rice with the oil. Add the remaining vegetables—as many or as few as you like—and toss gently to combine. Add the eggs, anchovies, parsley, capers, mayonnaise, and lemon juice. Fold everything together. Taste and season with salt and pepper.

3 • Cover the salad with plastic wrap and let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes to allow the flavors to mingle. If not serving immediately, store the salad in the refrigerator and remove 20 minutes before serving.