You know how sometimes you’ve tasted a fantastic antipasto and thought….”Oh, if there were just a bit more of that or that flavor would make a great dish, instead of just an appetizer.”  I found one that I truly enjoyed and decided to do just that: make it into more than an appetizer.  This has all the flavor of a Mediterranean summer. Try it with Italian BBQ.  It also goes quite well with any grilled meat.

2 cloves garlic, minced

4  Tbs lemon juice (fresh is best)

1/3 cup good olive oil

1/2 cup flavorful cheese cut into very small cubes (I used a Merlot infused Asiago)

2/3 cup chopped pecans

2/3 cup flat leaf parsley, finely chopped

1/2 cup quartered olives (I like Kalamata)

2/3 cup chopped sweet peppers (red and/or yellow)

2 Tbs red onion, finely diced

1/3 cup sun dried tomatoes finely chopped or tom jam (see how to make you own here)

salt and pepper to taste

3 cups cooked long grain brown rice or pilaf mixture (I like Kashi)

Combine the garlic and lemon juice, whisk in the olive oil to make an emulsion, set aside.

Add the remaining ingredients to your cooled cooked rice/pilaf and the pour the dressing on top.  Toss to mix well and serve.

I guess you could go one step further and add chopped grilled meat to this and then it would be a meal in itself!  Enjoy.