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.