On the Menu
Orzo salad recipes
A tasty, colorful way to serve fresh fall produce
Chicory greens work well in an orzo salad because the bitterness of the chicory complements the acidity of the salad dressing, and when chopped and lightly sautéed, the small, bright green pieces of chicory blend nicely with the orzo. Throw in some minced sweet peppers (red, yellow or orange) and you've got a visually attractive and delicious main or side dish.
Orzo is a rice-shaped pasta, available in most supermarkets or Italian grocery stores. You could substitute any other small pasta but the orzo, because of its small size, has a wonderful texture, and its size closely matches that of many of the other ingredients - once you've chopped them up.
I created this orzo salad after catching a glance of an orzo salad at my local supermarket, stumbling upon fresh chicory at the Italian greengrocer's across the street, and picking up a few other local vegetables in season. The supermarket also had a few chayotes for sale - a Central American squash I grew fond of while living in Costa Rica for a year in 2008-09. This orzo salad recipe will be fine without the chayote but if you can find one it's a fun addition.
This orzo salad should keep in the refrigerator for up to a week, and makes great leftovers.
Salad
1 lb orzo (pasta shaped like grains of rice)
1 large bunch chicory or other slightly bitter greens, such as mustard greens, rapini, or Russian kale
2 red peppers, finely chopped
1 chayote (a Central American hard squash - nice if you can find it but not essential)
3 Tbsp minced red onion
2 dozen Kalamata olives
1/2 lb Parmegiano Reggiano cheese
Dressing
3/4 c extra virgin olive
3/8 c balsamic vinegar
2 Tbsp shoyu
1 Tbsp sugar
1 tsp Dijon or other spicy mustard
Directions - about 30 minutes
1. Start a large pot of water to boil for the pasta. Meanwhile, clean, drain, and finely chop the greens. Include the leaf stalk as well. Sautee the greens in a pot with 1/2 cup water and 2 Tbsp olive oil, on high, until most of the water has evaporated and the greens are cooked. Remove from heat, drain any excess water, and toss the greens into a large salad bowl.
2. Once the pasta water boils, add the pasta and cook until al dente - cooked but still firm. Drain, and add immediately to the salad bowl, along with 1 Tbsp olive oil. Toss the orzo and greens so that the pasta will not clump together.
3. Peel and julienne the chayote and cut into orzo-length pieces. Fry it, again in oil and water, in the pot that the greens were cooked in.
4. While the chayote cooks, prepare the other vegetables: mince red onion to produce about 3 Tbsp, and cut the red pepper into orzo-sized pieces. Pit the olives by squeezing them against a cutting block and pulling out the pits. Chop into small pieces. Remember to stir the chayote occasionally.
5. When the chayote is slightly browned and softened, add it along with the other remaining vegetables to the salad bowl.
6. Mix the dressing ingredients in a container with a lid - mason jar, salad dressing jar, or plastic container. Shake thoroughly, taste with a small spoon, and adjust the acidity, salt (using more shoyu), or sweetness as necessary.
7. Toss 3/4 of the dressing into the salad and mix thoroughly. Taste, and add more dressing if desired.
8. Shave small pieces of the Parmesan cheese into the salad, add the sunflower seeds, and toss again.
Can be served warm, room temperature, or slightly chilled. Great for a pot luck or a summer patio dinner.
Return from Orzo salad recipes to Pasta salad recipes or to the Creative Salad Recipes site home page.
