Orzo Salad

serves 4

recipe slightly adapted from This is a Cookbook: Recipes for Real Life

 

for the vinaigrette:

• 1/2 cup chopped fresh flat leaf parsley
• 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

for the salad:

• 1 1/2 cups dried orzo
• salt & pepper
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1 English cucumber, diced
• 1 red onion, diced
• 1 cup crumbled feta cheese
• juice of 2 lemons
• 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
• salt & fresh ground pepper
• 4 cups fresh spinach leaves

Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the orzo and cook until al dente, according to package directions. Rinse in cold water, drain thoroughly and set aside.

To make the vinaigrette, put the parsley in a blender or mini food processor. With the machine running, slowly drizzle in the 3 tablespoons olive oil. Process until a smooth puree forms. Stop machine and scrape down the sides, process again. Just before mixing with the orzo, add the 2 tablespoons lemon juice, salt & pepper to taste and process until emulsified.

Put the orzo in a large serving bowl. Add the vinaigrette and toss until well coated. Add the tomatoes, cucumber, onion, feta, lemon juice and 1/2 cup olive oil and toss gently to mix well. Taste and adjust seasoning. Serve over a bed of spinach. .