Estate Comforts
Farmers Market Orzo Salad
The Strategy:
This light and refreshing pasta salad is the ultimate showcase for vibrant summer produce. Tender orzo is tossed in a bright, zesty lemon-garlic dressing and combined with crisp cucumber, sharp green onions, sweet baby heirloom tomatoes, and fresh parsley. It is a quick, versatile side dish that pairs beautifully with grilled proteins or a platter of roasted vegetables.
Ingredients
- Juice of 2 medium lemons, about ¼ cup
- 3 large garlic cloves, peeled and minced, about 2 teaspoons
- 1 teaspoon yellow mustard
- ½ cup olive oil
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon coarse black pepper
- 1 cup uncooked orzo pasta
- 1 large cucumber, peeled, seeded, and diced into ¼-inch pieces, about 1 ½ cups
- 4 to 5 green onions, thinly sliced, about ½ cup
- 1 pint baby heirloom tomatoes, quartered
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley
Instructions
- Whisk together lemon juice, garlic, and mustard in a bowl. Whisk in the olive oil in a slow steady stream. Season the dressing with some of the salt and pepper.
- Cook the orzo in 2 quarts salted, boiling water until tender, about 8 to 10 minutes.
- Drain the orzo through a colander and place into a large bowl. Pour half of the dressing over the orzo and stir. Cool to room temperature (or place into the fridge to chill for 5 minutes or so).
- Add the cucumbers, onions, tomatoes, and parsley to the cooled orzo. Pour in the remaining dressing. Gently toss the salad together. Taste and season with salt and pepper if needed.
Cook’s Tip
Have extra orzo salad? Get creative! Stuff it into a pita with some chicken and feta cheese. Layer into bell peppers with some extra lemon vinaigrette. Add to your favorite meatball recipe. It’s all good!!
Farmers Market Tip
I have a black thumb. I can’t grow anything. This is probably why i am enthralled with every farmers market that I visit. But then:my daughter-in-law, Kimber gave me the gift that keeps on giving, a Tower Garden®. This amazing upright tower allows me to grow my own herbs and veggies right on my back deck! All I have to do is keep the tub filled with water and plug in the motor. It’s amazing: a scientific miracle in my book. You add a couple drops of nutrients to good old tap water, insert some seedlings into the holes in the tower and before you know it you have heads of lettuce, stems of herbs and fruits like tomatoes and zucchini ready for the picking. There are different types of towers and if you are a DIY crafter you can even rig one up on your own. any way you do it, you can unleash your inner farmer by finding a garden that is just right for you.
The full recipe lives in the Vault
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The Heart of the Table
This colorful, vegetable-packed pasta salad brings a vibrant, fresh-from-the-market energy to the dining table. Plated on a beautiful serving bowl, its bright lemons and fresh green herbs spark easy conversation and set a light, relaxed mood for a shared summer lunch.
- a hand-turned, wide-rimmed salad bowl crafted from solid cherrywood
- a set of matte-finished ceramic salad plates chilled beforehand
- a set of minimalist, mouth-blown crystal coupe glasses with slender stems
- a professional Hawthorne strainer with a tight-coil spring
- a set of heavy-gauge, satin-finished stainless steel mixing bowls
- a platinum-grade non-stick silicone baking mat for consistent heat conduction
Neighborly Grace
- THE PRESENTATION: Spoon the vibrant orzo salad into a shallow, wide ceramic bowl. Garnish the top with whole fresh parsley leaves and a few thin slices of fresh lemon for a beautiful, market-fresh presentation.
- THE POUR: Pair this zesty, herbaceous salad with a chilled, high-acid Sauvignon Blanc or a crisp dry Rosé. For a non-alcoholic option, serve a sparkling lemonade infused with fresh cucumber slices.
- THE VIBE: Sun-Dappled Terrace. A cool summer breeze and a bowl of fresh, zesty pasta salad set a light, relaxed tone for sharing stories with neighbors.
