Gusto of good gumbo meets rice in salad

By DONNA PIERCE
CHICAGO TRIBUNE
This savory rice salad based on gumbo ingredients makes a delicious main-course dinner for warm autumn days. When selecting okra for this recipe, buy the smallest pods available. Or, if you decide to omit this much maligned vegetable, stir in 1 teaspoon of file powder (made from ground sassafras leaves); it's sold in the herb and spice section in most supermarkets.
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Substitute equal amounts of your favorite cooked seafood for the shrimp in the recipe.
GUMBO RICE SALAD
Vinaigrette:
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 teaspoons sherry vinegar
Juice of 1/2 lime
1/2 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground pepper
Salad:
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small onion, diced
1 can (141/2 ounces) diced tomatoes
1 cup small okra, trimmed cut into 1/4-inch slices
1 teaspoon coarse salt plus more to taste
2 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
Freshly ground black pepper
4 ounces Spanish-style chorizo sausage or andouille sausage, halved lengthwise
3 cups cooked rice, chilled
3/4 pound cooked shrimp
1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
1 teaspoon chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, drained
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
2 green onions, thinly sliced, optional
For vinaigrette, whisk together olive oil, vinegar, lime juice, salt and pepper to taste; set aside.
For salad, heat olive oil in skillet over medium heat; add onion. Cook until softened, about 3 minutes. Reduce heat to low; stir in tomatoes, okra and 1/2 teaspoon of the salt. Cover; cook until tender, about 15 minutes. Set aside.
Meanwhile, heat a grill pan or skillet to high. Season chicken with salt and pepper. Grill, turning once, until cooked through, about 10 minutes. Remove from grill; set aside. Place sausage skin-side down on grill. Cook until heated through, turning once, about 3 minutes. Slice chicken and sausages into 1/4-inch slices; put in large bowl.
Add rice, shrimp, bell pepper, cilantro, chipotle pepper, okra-tomato mixture, remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt, pepper flakes and pepper to the chicken-sausage mixture. Toss with vinaigrette; top with green onions, if desired. Serve at room temperature or chilled.
Makes 6 servings.
Nutrition information per serving: 397 calories, 37 percent of calories from fat, 16 g fat, 4 g saturated fat, 125 mg cholesterol, 36 g carbohydrates, 27 g protein, 1,034 mg sodium, 2 g fiber.