Mediterranean Eggplant Steaks And Orzo Salad With Walnuts Oregano And Tomatoes Food

MEDITERRANEAN ORZO SALAD

Steps:

• Cook the orzo pasta according package instructions (mine took about 8 minutes). Drain and cool briefly.
• In a large mixing bowl, combine the grape tomatoes, green onions, bell peppers, parsley, dill, olives and capers (hold the feta for now). Add the orzo pasta.
• Make the dressing. In a small bowl, combine the lemon juice, lemon zest, extra virgin olive oil, garlic, oregano and a good pinch of kosher salt and black pepper. Whisk to combine.
• Pour the dressing over the salad and toss until well combined and the orzo pasta is well coated with the dressing.
• Top with pieces of creamy feta cheese. Cover and refrigerate for a bit before serving.

MEDITERRANEAN ORZO SALAD

Steps:

• Bring a pot of water to a boil, season with salt, and cook the orzo for 10 minutes. Drain, rinse, and set aside to cool.
• Transfer the cooled orzo to a large mixing bowl. Add the spinach, chopped vegetables, and olives, then crumble half of the feta cheese over the pasta.
• In a small bowl, whisk the canola oil, olive oil, lemon juice, oregano and salt and pepper until mixed. Pour the vinaigrette over the pasta mixture and gently fold until the pasta and veggies are coated. Taste for seasoning and top with the remaining feta cheese.
• Refrigerate for 1 hour or overnight before serving. The pasta is best within 2-3 days, but will last in the refrigerator up to 1 week.

MEDITERRANEAN STEAK AND POTATOES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 450˚ F. Put the potatoes on a microwave-safe plate and microwave, turning the potatoes halfway through, until just tender, 6 to 8 minutes. Meanwhile, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a medium ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion, thyme, a pinch of salt and a few grinds of pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is browned, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in 2 tablespoons water.
• Slice the potatoes and tomatoes into 1/4-inch-thick rounds. Gently toss together in a bowl with 2 tablespoons olive oil; season with salt and pepper. Place in overlapping layers on top of the onion (it doesn't have to be neat). Transfer the skillet to the oven and bake until the potatoes are soft and the tomatoes are wrinkled and dry, about 25 minutes.
• Meanwhile, season the steaks on both sides with salt and pepper. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the steaks and cook 5 to 6 minutes per side for medium rare. Remove to a cutting board and let rest, 5 minutes.
• Finely chop the olives and parsley; toss with the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil, the vinegar, orange zest and a pinch of salt. Slice the steak against the grain and divide among plates; top with the olive-parsley relish and serve with the roasted vegetables.

MEDITERRANEAN ORZO SALAD

Steps:

• For the dressing: In a jar or bowl, mix together the olive oil, lemon juice, garlic and some salt and pepper until totally combined.
• For the salad: Bring a pot of water to a boil and cook the orzo according to the package directions. Drain and let cool.
• Place the orzo, chickpeas, red and yellow tomatoes, olives, feta, parsley and onions in a large mixing bowl and pour the dressing over the top. Stir to combine and taste; add salt and pepper if needed. Refrigerate at least 1 hour before serving.
• Top with more feta and parsley and serve as a main dish salad or with grilled chicken, fish or burgers!

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.

GRILLED VEGGIE AND ORZO SALAD

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the orzo according to package directions. Drain and set aside.
• Add the dried oregano, garlic powder, onion powder, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper and 1/2 cup of the olive oil to a large bowl. Whisk to combine, then add all the prepped vegetables. Toss the vegetables to coat them in the marinade.
• Heat a grill pan over medium-high heat. Once the pan is heated, add the vegetables in batches, being sure to keep them in a single layer and not to overcrowd the pan. Grill until the vegetables have nice char marks and are beginning to soften, 2 to 3 minutes. Flip the vegetables and cook for an additional 2 to 3 minutes. Remove to a rimmed baking sheet. Keep grilling until all the vegetables are cooked. Cool slightly, then cut the vegetables into small bite size pieces. Save any leftover marinade to build the dressing for the salad.
• To the serving bowl with the leftover marinade from the vegetables, add the lemon zest, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper and the remaining 1/4 cup olive oil. Whisk to combine. Add the cooked orzo and the chopped grilled vegetables and toss to combine. Add the feta, parsley and dill and toss again. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
• Serve immediately or keep at room temperature until ready to serve.

EGGPLANT MYKONOS

Steps:

• In a nonreactive stewpot, saute the onions and garlic in the olive oil until translucent. Cut the eggplant into 1inch cubes and add them to the pot. Slice the pepper into 1inchsquare pieces. Crush the tomatoes. Add the peppers, tomatoes, apple juice or water, salt, and fennel to the pot. If using dried dill, add it now. Cover the pot and simmer, stirring frequently, until the eggplant is completely tender, about 15 minutes. Stir in the fresh dill, if used, and add the lemon juice and spinach. Simmer for another minute or two until the spinach wilts but is still bright green. Add salt and pepper to taste.
• This tangy stew is delicious over rice or couscous. Serve topped with grated feta cheese, if desired

BEEF & ORZO MEDITERRANEAN STYLE

Steps:

• Sprinkle salt into a 10 to 12 inch frying pan over medium-high heat. Crumble beef into pan and cook, stirring often, until meat begins to brown, 3 to 5 minutes. Reduce heat to medium, stir in onion, and continue to cook, stirring, until onion is soft but not brown, about 5 minutes. Spoon off and discard excess fat.
• Add garlic, tomatoes (break them up with a spoon) and their liquid, broth, oregano, and pepper. Bring mixture to a boil then stir in pasta. Reduce heat, cover and simmer gently until pasta is tender to bite, 10 to 12 minutes.
• Meanwhile, squeeze as much liquid as possible from spinach. Stir spinach into pasta mixture just until heated through. Serve with cheese to add to taste.