This simple salad is surprisingly good. A little curry powder added to rice at the end of cooking lends colour and a subtle flavour. The creamy texture and fruity notes of a Comté aged for 6–8 months work in perfect harmony with the sweetness of the sultanas and crunch of radish. You could use another firm cheese such as Pavé du Nord in place of the Comté, but as it is stronger it would be better to cut this into slivers or shavings rather than dice.
SERVES 4
200g long-grain rice
2 generous pinches of mild curry powder
6 tbsp light olive oil
3 tbsp white wine vinegar
30g pine nuts
160g Comté (aged for 6–8 months)
½ bunch of radishes, ideally pink, trimmed and quartered lengthways
30g sultanas, blanched and drained
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper
Bring a large pan of water to the boil, shower in the rice and cook over a low heat for about 18 minutes until the grains are al dente (cooked but firm to the bite) and no longer crunchy. Remove from the heat and add the curry powder with a pinch of salt.
Leave the rice in the cooking water for 1–2 minutes, stirring once or twice, then drain in a fine sieve. Rinse the rice under the cold tap, just to cool it slightly. Drain well.
Put the olive oil, wine vinegar and a pinch each of salt and pepper into a large salad bowl and whisk with a balloon whisk. Add the drained rice and toss to mix with the vinaigrette, then cover with cling film and set aside.
Toast the pine nuts on a baking tray in an oven preheated to 180°C/Gas 4 for 5–8 minutes or in a dry frying pan, shaking frequently, for about 3 minutes until lightly coloured. Tip into a cup and set aside.
Remove the rind from the Comté and cut into small dice.
Gently mix the radishes, sultanas and cheese through the rice. Taste and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper as required, then scatter over the toasted pine nuts to serve.