Rice/Pasta Salad to go with a bbq

[MrsPuddleduck]

We are having a party in a couple of weeks time and I would like to make a rice and pasta salad.

Does anyone have any easy receipies which I can make the day before and just chill then serve.

We have two veggies coming so an absence of meat would be good (though not essential).

What do you give vegegarians anyway (with the exeption of vegetable kebabs?)

Thanks

How about couscous with roasted veg - really easy, cut up peppers, courgettes, aubergines, shallots, mushrooms, sweet potatoes etc, put in a roasting tin with olive oil, gas 5/6 for about 45 minutes. Follow instructions on packet for couscous, add salt, pepper, more olive oil, add veg, eat on the spot or chill for later.

here's a pasta salad that we do:

mix cooked pasta with tuna, cooked brocccolllii (sp?) some mayo then add Kraft honey mustard dressing and walnuts.
delish!

or what about couscous?
i do couscous with cucumber, celery, carrot, tomato, red pepper feta cheese and fresh herbs with a vinagrette.

imo pasta salad really does not keep, the juice in the dressing just makes the pasta all sloppy and glutinous.

Rice salad does though and think you can't go wrong with the retro rice+sweetcorn+peas+raisins+nuts

you could make a bean salads instead [tins white beans, onion, sweet pepper, olive oil and vinegar] These are actually better the next day

for vegs: corn on the cob, mushrooms smeared with garlic butter and wrapped in foil, red pepper, aubergines and corgettes b-b-qued and then tossed in lemon and garlic dressing

Pasta salad - roast chopped up veg such as peppers, courgettes, aubergines, red onion, cherry tomatoes, cut into similar sized pieces, in hot olive oil with chopped garlic and sprinkled with dried mixed Italian herbs in a hot oven for about 45 minutes. Mix with cooked pasta shaped (quills or fusilli works well) and dress with a mixture of virgin olive oil and white wine vinegar . Can be served warm or cold. You can do veg day before but pasta best done fresh and immediately rinsed in cold water.

For veggeis try Haloumi cheese , either grilled in slices or cut into chunks threaded on a skewer with veg, Veggie burgers or sausages.

Try some haloumi (funny cheese which is great barbequed) and some b-b-q'd corn on the cob.
Make a simple salad of sliced tomatoes, drizzled in olive oil with squished garlic and basil. leave room temp to infuse...

re veggies - get big flat field mushrooms smother in butter
add a little crushed garlic
chuck on bbq
serve in crusty bread - tastes as meaty as a burger (i love this and am committed carnivore)

rice salad - cook risotto rice with 2-3 spoons of pesto and veg stock
add more pesto when cooked
serve with basil, spring onions and parmesan shavings

forgot to say - wrap buttered mushrooms in foil!

Thanks for the tips regarding the pasta.

If I can make a rice salad the day before it wont be too much of a bind to make a pasta salad on the actual day.

I am trying to plan so I have to do as little as possible on the day and even less once people arrive.

Have never heard of Holouumi cheese - presumably I can buy it from Tesco. Is it one of those things that you cook for vegegatarians and then all the meat eaters end up scoffing?

A good veggie BBQ dish are those huge mushrooms. Put some cheese (gruyere or mozzarella is good) on top of one mushroom then put another upside down on top and secure with skewers brush with some olive oil and put on BBQ, turning once. You can add garlic and/or herbs if you want. I personally like quorn burgers/sausages but they are not everyones taste.

Rice salad

Cooked cooled rice
Cooked cooled Peas
Chopped tomatoes
chopped mushrooms

Mix everything with mayo

Dirt Rice with Chorizo - if you're feeling flamboyant!

INGREDIENTS:
1 pound chorizo sausage, bulk or removed from casings, browned and drained
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 green bell pepper, seeded and diced fine
1 sweet onion, such as Mayan Sweet or Vidalia, diced fine
2 cups picante sauce or salsa
4 cups water
1 teaspoon cumin, ground
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon paprika
2 cups white rice, long grain
1 can(small) tomato paste
PREPARATION:
Remove any casings from chorizo sausage. Brown sausage in non-stick Dutch oven. Drain fat off. In the non-stick Dutch oven, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Sauté the pepper and the onion, until the onion is transparent, about 10 minutes.

Add picante sauce or salsa, water, tomato paste, browned and drained chorizo sausage, cumin, salt, and paprika to the Dutch oven and stir well. Bring to a boil. Cover and simmer for 15 minutes. Add rice. Cover and simmer for 20 to 30 minutes, or until rice is done.
Serves 8.