Sunday, September 24, 2023

Rosie Makes A Bright And Light Orzo Salad.

 

For summertime meals, I appreciate something light and garden fresh.  This orzo salad makes for a perfect side dish.  I used vegetables from the garden along with a bright, verdant basil dressing.

 


 Orzo Salad with Basil Dressing

 Salad Ingredients

¼ pound orzo, cooked according to directions and drained
⅓ cup diced cucumber
⅓ cup diced squash, blanched
⅓ cup diced zucchini, blanched
1 cup chopped spinach
1-2 tomatoes, diced
2 small roasted red peppers, diced
⅓ cup feta cheese, crumbled

 To blanch the squash and zucchini, drop the diced vegetables into salted, boiling water and cook for about 1 minute.  Drain and then plunge into ice water to stop cooking.  Drain before adding to salad.

You could use jarred roasted peppers, but since I had peppers in the garden, I roasted my own.  Hold over a flame until skin is blackened then drop into ice water.  Simply rub off charred skin with your fingers, then chop.

Mix all salad ingredients.

Toss with dressing.

 

Basil Dressing

½ cup basil leaves
1 garlic clove
1 TB lemon juice
½ tsp sugar
½ tsp Dijon mustard
2 TB champagne vinegar or rice vinegar
½ cup oil
Pinch kosher salt
Freshly ground pepper
1 tsp lemon zest

Process first 6 ingredients. Slowly drizzle in oil with processor running.  Stir in lemon zest.   Season to taste with salt and pepper.  

Enjoy.

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