It’s time to switch up gears and talk about something other than travel. Over Memorial Day weekend, I had a chance to catch up with some friends for a little backyard party in Kansas City. It has been a while since we have all been together (thanks COVID) and it was great sharing some stories and laughs in the sun with our feet in a recently purchased adult-sized inflatable pool. Yes, you heard that correctly…
I thought I would go ahead and share this easy recipe for a lemon orzo pasta salad that was made at this party for your own picnics or get-togethers this summer. Keep your social distancing when serving though… everyone will gather around the bowl!
Let’s take a step and talk about cooking for a minute. I will be the first to say that I am not an expert chef. I have no doubt and respect that there are those that are more skilled, faster, and patient than anything I currently concoct or have the time for. It does not help that I live by myself in an apartment. This Gemini loves and needs the enjoyment of others, and the same comes to taking the time to whip up something. Thus, parties are where I can finally get my hands dirty in the kitchen and try something new.
And what do I Iike to cook? I would say my creative background has helped me in exploring and understanding flavor through spice, sauce and rub combinations. I will see a recipe that sparks my attention and then try to shake it up to make it my own, or take the best-of elements from several recipes to determine my own variation over a span of time.
A great example of this is pasta salad. This is one of my favorite things to have fun with that is super quick and easy. The slightest ingredient changes or portion modifications completely changes the outcome and taste.
For this particular gathering, I had to first think about the theme. Yeah, I am all about matching the vibe of the gathering. With 85 degree weather in Kansas City for that day, I wanted something that would be cool and refreshing in the warm sun. The summer season invokes feelings of bright colors, vibrancy of tart lemons, and the smells of fresh mint. I have been cooped up for a while and being outside felt refreshing and was a sigh of relief. This particular pasta salad incorporates all of these elements and tasted pretty darn good. We were already grilling brats so I wanted something light to complement and didn’t involve a heavier and creamier dressing.
One other note I will add is describing orzo itself. For those that do not know or haven’t had before, this is indeed a pasta and not a rice (though it does look like grain). It is a small and flat pasta that doubles in size when cooking and can easily be found in the pasta aisle. I love using this for something light in a soup or as part of a Mediterranean flavored pasta side dish. Now that we’ve got that out of the way, put on your hat and robe and let’s get to cooking!
Lemon Orzo Pasta Salad
Recipe:
- 1 cup of orzo (½ pound from package)
- 2 tablespoons of sherry wine vinegar
- 1 lemon juiced
- ½ cup olive oil
- 10 ounces cherry tomatoes (1 ¼ cups if fresh)
- 6 ounces feta cheese
- 1 shallot
- 2 cloves of garlic (2-3 teaspoons)
- ⅓ cup green olives
- ½ cup kalamata olives
- ½ cup basil
- ½ cup mint
- 1 tablespoon parsley
- To taste: salt, pepper, red pepper flakes
Below please find directions and additional notes from the chef in putting this recipe together:
Dressing
In a mixing bowl, whisk the lemon juice and sherry vinegar. Slowly whisk in the olive oil to where all 3 ingredients come together to create a harmonious dressing. You will see it thicken up and have a bit of a hazy gold color.
Pasta
Cook 1 cup of orzo in boiling water. As always when cooking any pasta, don’t forget to season your water with a little salt and pepper. After about 8 minutes or so (depending on your stove and pasta), drain your pasta in a strainer with cold water and pour the pasta in your preferred serving bowl.
Toppings
Prior to and while the pasta is cooking, begin the process of preparing all of your toppings that will be placed in the pasta salad:
- Tomatoes
- Slice cherry tomatoes in half lengthwise
- Olives
- Slice kalamata and green olives. I typically get 4-5 slices from a typical single olive (depending on the size)
- Garlic
- Mince up garlic from 2 cloves or proceed with 2-3 teaspoons from a pre-minced jar
- Shallot
- Part of the onion family, these should be chopped up in similar fashion.
- Herbs
- Chop up a handful of basil, parsley, or mint. Pre-packaged basil and parsley is fine, but I do recommend having fresh mint for including with this recipe. Once your mint is chopped, keep a little to the side and separate from the rest of the herb mixture that will be added prior to serving
Mixing Together
Once your orzo pasta has been drained and in your preferred bowl, first add ⅔ of your dressing and stir together in pasta. Add in your toppings and stir together. Now sprinkle in some salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes to taste and stir together in the bowl.
At this time, go ahead and seal up the bowl with plastic wrap and place in the fridge to chill for at least 2 hours or so. This will help all flavors come together. Once chilled, add in the crumbled feta cheese and the remainder of your dressing. Stir together and top with the remainder of your mint. Your pasta salad is now complete! Serve with a smile and enjoy the taste of summer!
I hope you enjoyed this recipe. Let me know your feedback and any questions you may have. Have a great week everyone!
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The Eye of the Tyler 