Confetti Orzo Salad Food

COASTAL LIVING CONFETTI ORZO SALAD

Steps:

• Cook orzo according to package directions; drain. Rinse with cold water; drain.
• Combine orzo, carrot, and next 5 ingredients; set aside.
• Combine lemon rind, lemon juice, vinegar, salt, pepper, and minced garlic. Gradually whisk in oil.
• Pour vinaigrette over orzo salad, tossing gently. Cover and keep chilled.

ORZO PASTA SALAD WITH GRILLED CONFETTI VEGETABLES AND FETA

Steps:

• In a large pot, bring about 4 cups of salted water to a boil. Add orzo pasta and cook according to package directions, about 6-8 minutes, until al dente (firm to the bite). Drain and rinse under cold water. Let orzo sit in colander to drain well. Transfer to a large bowl and toss with about 2 tsp (5 ml) olive oil to prevent sticking. Set aside.
• In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, oregano, lemon juice, lemon peel, salt and pepper until well combined. Set aside.
• Preheat a barbeque or grill to medium-high heat. Brush zucchini strips and yellow pepper with a little olive oil. Place these, along with corn, on barbeque and grill for 4-5 minutes on each side until grill marks appear and vegetables are tender. Remove and set aside on a baking tray to cool. Once cool, cut the kernels off of the corn husks (there should be about 2 cups) and chop the zucchini and yellow peppers into ½-inch (1 cm) pieces.
• To the orzo pasta, add the zucchini, yellow pepper, corn, cherry tomatoes, feta and pine nuts. Drizzle over lemon vinaigrette and toss gently to combine. Garnish with torn basil leaves.
• In a hurry? Chop zucchini and yellow pepper into ½-inch dice. Place in large bowl along with cherry tomatoes and 1 cup corn (canned). Toss with 1 tbsp olive oil and season the vegetables with salt and pepper. Spread evenly onto a baking sheet. Bake until lightly browned, about 10 to 15 minutes. Set aside and let cool to room temperature and then toss with orzo salad as above.

ORZO SALAD

Steps:

• Pour the broth into a heavy saucepan. Cover the pan and bring the broth to a boil over a 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 orzo through a strainer. Transfer 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; set aside.
• 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.
• Add enough vinaigrette to orzo mixture to cover. Will most likely not need all of the vinaigrette.