Cooking Instructions
1.
Fill a pot halfway with water and add
Salt (1 tsp)
. Bring the pot to a boil and add the
Orzo Pasta (1 cup)
. Cook, stirring occasionally for 9 to 10 minutes for al dente, or according to package directions.
2.
Rinse with cold water to stop the cooking and drain. Set aside.
3.
Heat the grill to high heat, about 450 degrees F (230 degrees C).
4.
Place the
Red Bell Pepper (1)
directly on the grates and cook until well charred. If using an oven, heat it to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C), and place the red pepper in the oven and cook for 30 minutes or until tender.
5.
Slice the
Zucchini (1)
into rounds, crosswise about 1/2 to 3/4" thick.
6.
Chunk the
Red Onion (1/2)
into 1" pieces. If using the oven, place onion and zucchini chunks on a sheet pan. Add 2 tablespoons of the
Olive Oil (1/3 cup)
and a sprinkle of salt and pepper. Toss with your hands to coat the vegetables. Roast for 20 minutes.
7.
If grilling, skewer the zucchini slices (skewer on the thin side, so that more of the flesh can get the char of the grill). Separate the layers of onion and loosely skewer.
8.
Brush 2 tablespoons of the olive oil over the onion and zucchini. Sprinkle both with
Kosher Salt (to taste)
and freshly ground
Ground Black Pepper (to taste)
.
9.
Grill the skewers to crisp-tender doneness.
10.
Place whole pepper in a small bowl covered with plastic wrap, or in a paper bag with the top folded over and sealed. Let the pepper sit in the bowl or bag until cooled to room temperature.
11.
Pit and halve the
Kalamata Olives (1/2 cup)
.
12.
Halve the
Cherry Tomatoes (1 cup)
.
13.
Remove the skin from the outside of the pepper and discard - it should peel right off.
14.
Remove the stem and seeds. Cut the pepper into bite sized chunks. Thinly slice the
Scallions (1 bunch)
. Chop the
Fresh Parsley (4 Tbsp)
.
15.
Dice the
Feta Cheese (3/4 cup)
.
16.
In a large bowl, combine, orzo, red pepper, zucchini, onion, olives, tomatoes, green onions, parsley and feta cheese. Toss to combine.
17.
Mince the
Garlic (2 cloves)
. In a small bowl, combine the zest and juice of a
Lemon (1)
,
Olive Oil (4 Tbsp)
,
Dijon Mustard (2 tsp)
, minced garlic,
Dried Oregano (1/2 tsp)
,
Kosher Salt (1/2 tsp)
and
Ground Black Pepper (1/4 tsp)
.
18.
Stir together until dressing has emulsified. Add dressing to the orzo salad and toss to coat.
19.
Serve chilled or at room temperature.
