Greek Orzo Salad

This is a terrific recipe for a crowd, a great side dish for a barbecue or as a stand alone lunch. Always a hit and even better the next day!

INGREDIENTS
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 lemon, zested & juiced
kosher salt & fresh ground pepper
1 lb. orzo
15-20 pitted kalamata olives, roughly chopped
1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved or quartered, depending on size
sliced pepperoncini, roughly chopped
1 english cucumber, quartered lengthwise, then sliced
5 oz. feta cheese, I use Trader Joe’s in brine
LOTS of chopped mint, parsley and basil

DIRECTIONS
First, combine the olive oil, lemon juice, lemon zest, salt and pepper. Then, stir well to combine and set aside.

Next, cook the orzo according to the package directions. When done, drain, but don’t rinse the orzo, and immediately pour the dressing over the orzo and stir to combine. By pouring the dressing over the warm orzo, it helps absorb the flavors better. Finally, add all the remaining ingredients, to taste and preference.

NOTES
If you have them on hand, toasted pine nuts are a tasty addition. I also often use some of the juice/brine from the pepperoncini, olives and/or the feta; it cuts down on how much olive oil you need and adds wonderful flavor.

Grilled Vegetable Platter

This is a wonderful summer vegetable and a great do-ahead dish for a crowd. I love serving this, because it is a terrific way to highlight summer’s bounty and everyone loves it. However, do take care to choose an array of colorful vegetables for an attractive presentation.

INGREDIENTS
1 red bell pepper, cored and sliced
1 yellow bell pepper, cored and sliced
1 fennel bulb, cored and cut into wedges
1 bunch asparagus, ends trimmed
1 medium zucchini, sliced lengthwise
1 large vidalia onion, peeled and cut into thick slices
1 small eggplant, cut into thick slices
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 Tbs. balsamic vinegar
1 garlic clove, peeled & crushed
fresh sprigs of rosemary
fresh sprigs thyme
kosher salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste

DIRECTIONS
First, whisk the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt, pepper and garlic in a small bowl. Add a few sprigs of the thyme and rosemary and set aside to let the flavors meld while preparing the vegetables.

Then, brush the olive oil mixture on the vegetables and grill on medium high (depends on how hot your grill gets) for about 4-7 minutes per side. The peppers and onions will take a bit longer than the eggplant.

Beware and be sure to stay close by, because the veggies can go from perfect to charred in no time!

Finally, arrange on a platter, add a garnish of fresh thyme and rosemary sprigs. Cover with tinfoil and leave at room temperature until you’re ready to serve. This can stay on the counter for several hours, but if you are not serving for six or more hours, I would refrigerate it and take out up to an hour before serving to bring to room temperature.

Kale Salad with Quinoa, Feta, Apple & Dried Cranberries

This is a huge hit every time it’s served. Can easily be done the day before and won’t wilt.

SALAD INGREDIENTS
1/3 cup white quinoa
1/2 cup water
6 cups kale, stems removed, finely sliced, see Notes below
1 large apple, finely sliced (Braeburn, Pink Lady, Fuji)
1/4 cup dried cranberries
1/4 cup walnuts, toasted, coarsely chopped
1/4 cup feta, crumbled

DRESSING INGREDIENTS
3 Tbs. cider vinegar
3 Tbs. extra virgin olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
1 Tbs maple syrup
2 tsp dijon mustard
1/2 tsp curry powder
salt & pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS
Rinse and drain the quinoa, add the water, bring to a boil, cover, reduce the heat, simmer for about 15 minutes until the water is absorbed. Turn the heat off and let sit, covered, for 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, toast the walnuts at 350º for 6-8 minutes, set aside to cool.
Combine the sliced apple, kale, quinoa, dried cranberries, walnuts and feta together.

Next, mix the vinegar, oil, garlic, maple syrup, dijon, curry, salt and pepper. Finally, whisk well to combine and pour over salad to taste. Let sit for a few minutes to let the flavors meld. This is also great the next day!

NOTES
An alternative to slicing the kale, you can pulse it, in batches, in a food processor to make smaller pieces. Also, once you have sliced/chopped the kale, massage it with your hands. This helps to tenderize and break down the kale which can be rather “chewy”.

Herbed Farro Salad

Quick, delicious and very healthy. The ingredient amounts can vary depending on your preferences or what you have on hand.

INGREDIENTS
1/3 cup farro, cooked
juice & zest of a lemon
1 bunch flat leaf parsley, chopped
1/4 cup fresh mint, chopped
handful fresh basil, chopped
1 cup of chopped tomatoes
4-5 scallions, chopped
1/3 english cucumber, quartered then chopped
5 oz. feta, preferably in brine
kosher salt & fresh ground pepper, to taste
1/4 cup (or less) extra virgin olive oil
1 cup arugula, or more to extend servings

DIRECTIONS
First, cook the farro, according to the package directions. When cooked and tender, transfer to a large bowl. Then, immediately pour the lemon juice over the farro while it’s still warm. Let the mixture sit until somewhat cooled or a bit longer, this allows the farro to absorb the lemon. Add the next 7 ingredients to the bowl, mix well and then add salt & pepper to taste. Refrigerate for an hour or two to fully marinate. When about ready to serve, add the olive oil, toss well, taste and adjust seasonings. It should taste very lemony, if it doesn’t add more lemon juice. Make a bed of the arugula and spread the marinated salad over it, serve immediately. This looks terrific in a long oval or oblong serving dish, as shown in my photo.

This is great as a hearty lunch or a wonderful side dish. Especially good for a crowd at your next barbecue.

NOTES
The ingredient amounts can vary depending on your preferences or what you have on hand. Toasted walnuts are also a nice addition.

Summer Vegetable Ceviche

I stumbled upon this recipe several summers ago and I’m so pleased that I did. Without fail, every time I make this, someone asks for the recipe. It is an incredibly versatile recipe that highlights the very best of summer. It’s refreshing, light, healthy and great the next day too. Feel free to adjust the vegetable amounts to your own liking. And absolutely feel free to swap out what you do or do not have.

INGREDIENTS
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
zest of 1 lime
1/3 cup lime juice
1 -2 scallions, sliced
1 jalapeño, seeded & finely chopped
1/4 red onion, very thinly sliced
1 small shallot, thinly sliced
1 cup edamame, cooked & shelled (see notes below)
2 ears FRESH corn, blanched & sliced off the cob
2 nectarines, thinly sliced
1 avocado, cubed
1 orange bell pepper, thinly sliced
pint heirloom cherry tomatoes, halved or quartered, depending on size
1/2 cup roughly chopped cilantro (see notes below)

DIRECTIONS
First, combine the olive oil, lime zest, and lime juice. Then, add the scallions, jalapeño, shallot and red onion; season with salt and pepper.

Next, gently fold in the vegetables to combine and then refrigerate the mixture, for at least 2 hours. Finally, add the cilantro just before serving and serve over a bed of arugula.

NOTES
Regarding the edamame. Since first writing this post, I have discovered fresh and frozen versions of edamame, that have already been shelled. This takes some of the tediousness out of the prep work and I highly recommend using them if you they’re available in your area. Trader Joe’s has them in their frozen section and also, check in your produce section for the fresh version; they are vacuum sealed and in a small box.

Also, if by chance, you or your guests, don’t like cilantro, have no fear because other fresh herbs are a great alternative. I just recently brought this to a friend’s house and because I knew two of the guests, did not like cilantro, I had to modify the herbs. Therefore, I used a combination of parsley, basil and mint, with wonderful results.