Blue Cheese Orzo Salad Food

BLUE CHEESE ORZO SALAD

Steps:

• Cook orzo according to package directions; drain and place in a large bowl. Stir in the arugula, bacon, blue cheese, onions and walnuts., In a blender, combine the first six vinaigrette ingredients; cover and process until smooth. While processing, gradually add oil in a steady stream. Pour over salad; toss to coat.

CARAMELIZED ONION AND BLUE CHEESE ORZO

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain.
• While pasta is cooking, heat butter and oil in a large skillet over low heat. Cook onion in this mixture until golden brown, 20 to 30 minutes. Remove from pan with a spoon and drain on paper towels.
• In a large bowl, combine blue cheese, mascarpone and onion and mix well. Toss cheese mixture with spinach and pasta, season with salt and pepper and serve.

ORZO SALAD

Steps:

• Pour the broth into a heavy large saucepan. Cover the pan and bring the broth to a boil over high heat. Stir in the orzo. Cover partially and cook until the orzo is tender but still firm to the bite, stirring frequently, about 7 minutes. Drain the orzo through a strainer. Transfer the orzo to a large wide bowl and toss until the orzo cools slightly. Set aside to cool completely.
• Toss the orzo with the beans, tomatoes, onion, basil, mint, and enough vinaigrette to coat. Season the salad, to taste, with salt and pepper, and serve at room temperature.
• Mix the vinegar, lemon juice, honey, salt, and pepper in a blender. With the machine running, gradually blend in the oil. Season the vinaigrette, to taste, with more salt and pepper, if desired.
• Yield: 1 3/4 cups

ITALIAN ORZO SALAD

Steps:

• In a large saucepan, bring broth to a boil; add pasta. Return to a boil. Cook, uncovered, until pasta is tender, 10-12 minutes. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk the oil, vinegar, lemon juice, honey, salt and pepper., In a large bowl, combine the tomatoes, cucumber, basil, onions and spinach. Drain pasta; add to tomato mixture. Drizzle with dressing; toss to coat. Chill until serving., Just before serving, stir in cheese and pine nuts.

MEDITERRANEAN ORZO SALAD

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook orzo in the boiling water, stirring occasionally until tender yet firm to the bite, about 9 minutes. Drain well. Rinse with cold water and drain well again.
• Combine orzo, cherry tomatoes, red onion, cucumber, olives, and Asiago cheese in a large bowl.
• Whisk garlic, olive oil, red wine vinegar, lemon juice, salt, and pepper together in a small bowl to make the vinaigrette. Drizzle over the orzo mixture and toss lightly to combine. Add basil and parsley and mix well. Let sit for 20 minutes for flavors to blend, stirring occasionally.

ORZO WITH BLUE CHEESE AND WALNUTS

Steps:

• In a large saucepan, bring 1 quart of water to a boil.
• Add the salt and orzo and cook until the orzo is tender and has absorbed almost all of the cooking liquid, 8 to 9 minutes.
• Stir in the butter, Parmesan and blue cheeses and walnuts.
• Serve immediately.
• * Note: To toast nuts, spread them on a baking sheet and place them in a 350-degree oven, shaking the pan occasionally, for 8 to 10 minutes. Watch carefully because nuts will burn quickly.

BLUE CHEESE SPINACH ORZO SAUCE

Steps:

• In a saucepan over medium-high heat, add the butter to melt. Once the butter has melted, reduce the heat, add the flour and stir to create a roux; the roux should be pale blond in color. Once the roux is made, reduce the heat again to low, add the milk, stirring into the roux and cooking until the roux has thickened. Finally, add the blue cheese, 1 cup at a time, until all the cheese has been added and well blended. Season with the salt and pepper blend. Remove from the heat and continue to stir to ensure consistency.
• Once the sauce has been prepared, add the orzo, spinach and tomatoes and stir to incorporate into the cream sauce. Allow the orzo to warm with the sauce, then remove from the heat and serve. This has a shelf life of 5 days.