no. 139: feta orzo salad with WHOLE lemon vinaigrette
Also, do you know any LA-based couples who hate each other?
I have already put the manifestation call out on my Instagram story, but I’d like to reiterate it here for added exposure. I want to cater a divorce celebration.
I’m feeling stronger and stronger each day, and the itch to get back into catering is starting to come over me. It’s been about 2 and half months since I’ve cooked for an in-person event, and candidly, I’m missing it.
I’ve catered my fair share of baby showers, bridal showers, engagement parties, weddings, etc., and I love being a part of people’s special days. Marriage and babies are huge, incredible milestones that are obviously worth celebrating.
That said, I think there is more to celebrate in life than just these two things, and I think the act of simply changing your mind can be a powerful one. Looking at a situation in your life and deciding that you feel differently? HUGE. I would like to be a part of the celebration of such a monumental decision.
I’m still workshopping the menu that I would propose for this hypothetical divorce party, but I’d definitely want to include a SPLIT pea soup, some sort of Leave-y greens salad, plus some Pasta Alimony, which is Pasta al Limone but with caviar added, because your ex is paying.
All of this is to say, I don’t really care what the occasion is. If you have a group of folks that are excited to eat a delicious meal in the LA area, hit me up. I’m ready to rock!!!!
Feta Orzo Salad with Whole Lemon Vinaigrette and Crispy Prosciutto
Serves: 6-8
Active time: 25 minutes
Total time: 35 minutes
I know I’m still a couple weeks early to spring, but I had that exciting moment when you walk outside one day and it’s just smelling different and good. The birds were chirping, the sun was shining, and I looked at my calendar to realize that daylight savings is not far away. PEOPLE, IT’S HAPPENING.
The best way to welcome the upcoming season is with an ultra fresh, ultra GREEN pasta salad. This orzo salad is pretty similar to this orzo salad with frizzled leek vinaigrette that I developed last year, but instead of the leek dressing, I’m opting for my favorite WHOLE LEMON vinaigrette (which you may recall from this grilled zucchini).
I will say it ‘til I’m blue in the face. You can and you should use a whole lemon. Give it a rinse beforehand and cut off the pithy ends, then quarter it so you’re able to remove the seeds (though, it’s not the worst thing in the world if a seed sneaks it’s way in). If the skin on your lemon feels particular thick, you can obviously opt to remove some of it if you’re concerned about the dressing being excessively bitter, but it shouldn’t be an issue.
This pasta salad is delightfully briny, salty, herby, and acidic. It has only gotten better as it has chilled in my fridge (I would even say that some of the punchiness has mellowed the longer its sat), so if you want to make it ahead of time, I’d highly recommend it.
If you want to keep it vegetarian, the crispy prosciutto is optional, but I happened to have a few rogue slices of it when I made this salad, and it just seemed like the right thing for me to do in that moment. I was right!
Like most pasta salads, this is endlessly riffable. Use whatever spring produce is popping up near you, and swap in whatever toasted nut and crumbly cheese you happen to have (though there’s something about a toasted almond with feta and olives that just hits me RIGHT).
For the vinaigrette:
1 medium lemon, rinsed and scrubbed
½ small shallot, coarsely chopped
1 ½ tablespoons sherry vinegar
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
¼ cup fresh herbs (parsley, dill, basil, or mint would all be great), plus more for garnish
¾ cup olive oil, plus more for drizzling
Kosher salt, to taste
For the salad:
4-5 slices prosciutto
1 ¼ cups orzo
Kosher salt, to taste
2 cups fresh arugula
2 large scallions, thinly sliced
¾ cup frozen peas, thawed
½ cup crumbled feta cheese
½ cup marinated artichokes, coarsely chopped
½ cup toasted almonds, coarsely chopped
½ cup green olives, coarsely chopped
Preheat oven to 400F and line a sheet pan with parchment paper. Place prosciutto on prepared pan and bake until crispy, 10-15 minutes. Remove and let cool, then chop into coarse pieces.
Make the vinaigrette. Cut the ends off the lemon and discard. Cut the lemon into quarters and carefully use a knife to remove any seeds.
Add lemon quarters to the bowl of a food processor or high speed blender and process until smooth and creamy. Add shallot, sherry vinegar, mustard, herbs, and oil and blend until creamy. Season to taste with salt and pepper, thinning with water as needed for desired consistency. Dressing should be salty, punchy, and acidic!
In a large pot of heavily salted water, cook orzo according to package directions. Drain and rinse with cold water. Drizzle with olive oil and toss to avoid clumping.
In a large bowl, add cooked orzo, arugula, feta, scallions, peas, artichokes, almonds, and olives. Toss with vinaigrette (you may not need it all) and top with crispy prosciutto. Season to taste with more lemon juice (if needed), salt, and pepper. Serve immediately or store in an airtight container for up to 5 days.