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.

Proof that I once catered parties AND that I was once tan.

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!!!!

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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.

A girl and her pasta salad

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).