Garden Orzo Salad With Herb Dressing Recipes

Steps:

• To make the dressing, in a small mixing bowl, whisk together the lemon zest and juice, garlic, 1/2 cup olive oil, 2 teaspoons of salt and 1 teaspoon of pepper. Set the dressing aside.
• To make the salad, combine the bell pepper, cucumber, onion, chickpeas, olives, walnuts, mint and parsley in a large mixing bowl.
• Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Stir in 3 tablespoons of salt and a small splash of olive oil. Add the orzo and cook for 7 to 9 minutes, or according to the directions on the package. Drain the orzo in a colander, then add it to the vegetable mixture while the orzo is still hot. Immediately pour the dressing onto the orzo and vegetables, and stir to combine. The hot orzo will readily absorb the dressing. Add a splash more olive oil if the salad seems too dry. Allow the salad to cool to room temperature, and add the feta, if desired. Cover and refrigerate for 1 to 2 hours.
• Give the salad a stir, then taste and adjust the seasoning before serving, if need be.

Steps:

• Cook orzo according to package directions., Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine the tomatoes, artichokes, spinach, onions, cheese and capers. In a small bowl, whisk the dressing ingredients., Drain orzo and rinse in cold water. Add to vegetable mixture., Pour dressing over salad; toss to coat. Chill until serving.

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of water to boil and cook orzo according to directions for al dente. I used Garafalo brand orzo and it cooks perfectly in 9 minutes.
• While orzo is cooking, chop the red onion, Kalamata olives and Roasted Red Peppers. I don't chop too finely, but that is a matter of personal choice.
• Once the orzo is done, drain it and put it into a large work bowl.
• While orzo is hot, add 1/4 of the bottle of Newmans's Balsamic Vinaigrette. Stir.
• Next, while the orzo is still hot, add the goat cheese. IF the cheese comes in a log, you may want to slice it before adding. Blend.
• It's important to add the goat cheese while the orzo is hot. This allows it to blend and become part of the dressing. It takes a few minutes to make sure the goat cheese and dressing blend well. There will not be a lot of sauce. The pasta may be a bit dry at this point.
• Once the goat cheese is all blended, add the olives, onion and peppers. Mix well.
• Add about 2 tablespoons of olive oil and mix. Salad will not be very wet. Let cool for about 10 minutes.
• Gather the fresh herbs, rinse them and finely chop. You should have about 1/4 cup once all the herbs are finely chopped.
• Add the herbs to the salad and blend.
• Add another 1/4 of the bottle of balsamic dressing and mix.
• Salt & pepper to taste. I don't use too much salt as I feel the olives can be somewhat salty.
• You can add a bit more olive oil if needed. I usually add a few splashes at the end.
• This salad is not dripping in dressing. If you prefer more liquid, feel free to use more of the balsamic dressing.
• I let this salad rest for a few hours for flavors to meld.
• I think it is best served at room temperature.
• Feel free to experiment with whatever herbs you like or have on hand. I think the key is to use fresh herbs for this salad.

Steps:

• In a food processor add lemon zest and juice, orange zest and juice, cider vinegar, parsley, basil. Turn on the processor and slowly add the olive oil until the mixture is blended together. Process until smooth and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Set aside.
• Cook orzo in large pot of boiling salted water until tender but still firm to bite, about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• To a large mixing bowl add the corn kernels, diced celery, seeded and diced cucumber and whole cherry tomatoes.
• Once orzo is cooked, drain and rinse under cold water; drain well. Add cooled orzo to bowl and toss. Add dressing to salad and toss again. Season with salt and pepper, if needed. Serve.