For the Love of the Stove

Food Network Magazine, May 2012

I'm always looking for interesting side dishes and this has lots of my favorite herbs in it.  I ate the leftovers for a couple of days and when it was gone, I made it again.  I would actually get excited to go grab some out of the fridge.  I know, it's the little things.....

Ingredients
2 lemons
1/4 c vegetable oil
2 c long-grain rice
2 T rice wine vinegar
2 t packed light brown sugar
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
1/2 medium red onion, thinly sliced
1 medium carrot, shredded
1 Kirby cucumber, seeded and diced (my grocery store didn't have any so I bought and English cucumber and used half of that instead)
1/2 c chopped salted roasted peanuts
1/2 c fresh cilantro, roughly chopped
1/2 c fresh mint, roughly chopped
1/2 c fresh basil, roughly chopped
1 bunch watercress, tough stems removed, leaves torn

Directions
1. Remove 2 wide strips zest from 1 lemon with a vegetable peeler.  Combine 1 strip zest with the vegetable oil in a small saucepan over medium heat and cook until the edges of the zest turn slightly golden, about 5 minutes.  Let the lemon oil cool.
2. Meanwhile, cook the rice as the label directs, adding the remaining strip lemon zest to the water.  Transfer the rice to a large baking sheet and spread out, discarding the zest and fluff with a fork.  Let cool to room temperature.  
3. Meanwhile, make the dressing: Juice both lemons into a medium bowl.  Add the vinegar, brown sugar, 1 3/4 t salt and 1/2 t pepper and whisk until the sugar dissolves.  Discard the zest from the lemon oil, then whisk the oil into the dressing.  Add the onion slices and let marinate 15 minutes.
4. Add the carrot, cucumber, peanuts, cilantro, mint, basil, watercress and rice to a large bowl.  Add the dressing mixture and gently toss.