back at it. [greek orzo salad]

August 12th, 2015 by | comments

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With wedding season in full swing, I haven’t been able to spend as much time in the kitchen. My family and I flew to our hometown, Columbus, Ohio, last weekend to celebrate my oldest brother’s wedding. The ceremony and venue were absolutely beautiful, and it was wonderful to see family I hadn’t seen in years. The only downside of the trip was that we ate pretty unhealthy. So, now that I’m back home, I’m trying to get back on track. We’ll see how long that lasts, ha!


greek orzo salad
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Serves: 4
 
Ingredients
  • 1½ cups orzo
  • 1 can (14 oz.) artichoke hearts, drained then chopped
  • 1 red bell pepper, roasted, peeled and diced
  • 1 Roma tomato, diced
  • 3 tbsp. pine nuts, toasted
  • 2-3 tbsp. fresh parsley, chopped, plus more for garnish
  • Zest of ½ lemon
  • ¼ cup olive oil
  • 3 tbsp. red wine vinegar
  • 1 tsp. white vinegar
  • Juice of 1 lemon
  • Salt and pepper, to taste
  • Feta cheese, crumbled, for topping, if desired
Instructions
  1. Bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil, then add orzo. Cook until tender, but still firm to bite, about 9-10 minutes. Once done, remove from heat and drain. Transfer orzo to a large bowl and let cool.
  2. Warm a small skillet over medium heat. Add pine nuts and lightly toast, stirring occasionally, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat.
  3. Turn one gas burner to medium heat, then place bell pepper over open flame. Using tongs with a long handle, frequently rotate peppers on the burners, until skins blister and blacken. Transfer pepper to a glass or metal bowl and cover with Saran wrap; let pepper sweat about 5-10 minutes. Remove the pepper from the bowl and peel off the skin. Dice bell pepper.
  4. In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, red wine vinegar, white vinegar, lemon juice, salt and pepper.
  5. Add the vinaigrette to the large bowl with the orzo and mix; add artichokes, roasted bell pepper, tomato, pine nuts, parsley and lemon zest. Season with salt and pepper.
  6. Serve at room temperature or chilled. Top with crumbled feta cheese and parsley, if desired.

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