Roasted Shrimp & Orzo salad

I was instantly addicted to this salad the first time I ate it, and ever since then it never fails to disappoint every time I make it.  The recipe comes from Ina Garten and it introduces a few genius techniques that make it extra delicious.  The first is to drench the hot, freshly cooked orzo in the lemon vinaigrette, causing it to soak up the flavor instantly.  The second is to roast the shrimp in olive oil, salt, and pepper.  This is by far the easiest way to cook a perfect shrimp and they taste amazing.  I had a hard time saving enough to toss into the salad.  The remaining ingredients- a combination of herbs, veggies, and feta cheese really make the dish come together.  We took this to a 4th of July cook-out this year and it was a huge hit.  I only changed a few slight things from Ina's recipe, and I assure you it turns out just as delicious!  The end result is a light and refreshing dish that could be served as a side dish or a main course.  

Ingredients:

• 1 pound orzo pasta (rice-shaped pasta)
• 1/2 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (should take about 3 lemons)
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1 1/2 pounds medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 1 cup minced scallions, white and green parts
• 1 cup chopped fresh dill
• 1 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 1 cucumber, peeled, seeded, and medium-diced
• 1/2 cup small-diced red onion
• 1/2 pound block of feta cheese, medium-diced
• Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

Directions:

Fill a large pot with water, add 1 tablespoon of salt and bring the water to a boil. Add the orzo and simmer for about 1 minute less than the recommended lowest number of minutes.  (If the box says 9-11 minutes cook them for 8) This will help you avoid over-cooking the pasta, considering it will keep cooking a bit more sitting in the pot.  While the orzo is cooking, whisk together the lemon juice, 1/3 cup olive oil, 2 teaspoons salt and 1 teaspoon of pepper. When the pasta is done, drain and return to the pot.  Immediately pour the lemon juice mixture over the hot pasta and stir well.  Keep orzo in the pot off heat to let it cool down while you prepare the rest of the ingredients.

To cook the shrimp, preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.  Place the shrimp on a foil-covered sheet pan, drizzle with olive oil, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Toss to combine and spread out in a single layer. Roast for about 4 minutes, until the shrimp are cooked through. You can tell once they start turning pink and have a somewhat firm touch to them that they are done.  Always err on the side of under- you can cook them for a minute longer if needed but you can't undo it once they are overcooked.  Try not to eat them all straight out from the oven!!

Add the shrimp to the orzo and then add the scallions, dill, parsley, cucumber, onion, 1 teaspoons salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Toss well and taste for more salt.  Add the feta and stir carefully. 

Set aside at room temperature for 1 hour to allow the flavors to blend, or refrigerate overnight. If refrigerated, bring back to room temperature before serving.

Tabbouleh Salad

Tabbouleh is one of the most popular salads in the Middle East- and now I know why.  I had seen it on restaurant menus, but was never really sure what it was.  After I watched Ina Garten make it on the Food Network one day, I was inspired to make it myself.  This version is made with bulgur wheat, lemon juice, fresh cucumber, mint, parsley, and green onion.  Mixing in feta cheese at the end adds some saltiness (and deliciousness) but the flavors of everything combined are amazing.  This salad is so fresh and healthy- it will definitely become a regular on our spring and summer menus. 

A note about bulgur wheat- this was a new ingredient for us, but we both really liked it.  It is a grain that has a texture similar to quinoa or cous cous and it is slightly nutty in taste.  In this recipe it is soaked in lemon juice, water, and olive oil, which gives it a wonderful flavor.  The best thing about it is the nutritional value- it is high in protein, fiber, and vitamins and minerals.  Also, it's a lot cheaper than quinoa.

Ingredients:

1 cup bulgur wheat

1 1/2 cups boiling water

Juice of 2 lemons (about 1/4 cup)

1/4 cup olive oil

1 English cucumber, seeded and diced

1 red pepper, diced

1 cup thinly sliced scallions (green and white parts)

1/2 cup chopped mint

1/2 cup chopped parsley

4 oz crumbled feta cheese (we used feta with peppercorns)

Kosher salt

Directions:

Place the bulgur wheat in a large bowl.  Pour in the boiling water, 1 teaspoon salt, the lemon juice, and the olive oil.  Cover and let it sit at room temperature for about an hour until all (or mostly all) the liquid has been absorbed. 

We still had a little bit of liquid in ours, but the bulgur wheat tasted like it was fully cooked.  The lemon juice and olive oil really give it a great flavor.

 Next, stir in your chopped vegetables and herbs.  Mix to combine well.  Finally, add the crumbled feta cheese.  Taste to see if it needs more salt or pepper.

Refrigerate until ready to eat- it does taste better after it's had some time to let all of the flavors come together, but there's nothing wrong with digging in right away.  This is a great dish to bring to your summer potluck!  We had ours along side Cuban spiced pork tenderloin.  

Spaghetti Squash with Tomato, Olives, & Feta

After successfully conquering my first squash recipe with the acorn squash we got in our random produce crate, my next (& more difficult) task was to make the spaghetti squash.  My mom used to make it when I was growing up, but I have to be honest - I never once tried it.  I knew I didn't like squash so there was no point. (Yes, I still do have that belief about certain foods!)  Sean isn't a squash fan either so this spaghetti squash needed to be flavorful and delicious for him to eat it too.  I came up with something and we both ate it and enjoyed it, much to our surprise! 

Ingredients:
1 spaghetti squash
olive oil, for roasting
1/2 large onion, diced
2-3 fresh tomatoes, cored, seeded and diced
2 cloves garlic
2 T fresh basil 
1 small can of sliced black olives
2 oz feta cheese

Directions:
Start by roasting the spaghetti squash. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.  Cut the squash in half, lengthwise.  Scoop out the seeds and pulp.  Drizzle it with olive oil, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place the squash face-side down on a baking sheet and roast it in the oven for about 45 minutes, or until the inside of the squash is completely fork tender.  (It could be more or less time depending on the size of the squash) Here's what ours looked like after being roasted.

Let it cool off slightly before scraping the "noodles" out from the squash.  Meanwhile, begin the sauce.
Heat 1 T oil in a medium skillet over medium heat.  When it is hot, add the onion and saute for several minutes until softened.  Sprinkle some salt and pepper in to bring out the flavor.  Then add garlic.  Cook for one more minute, and add tomatoes.  Continue cooking for 3-4 more minutes.

When the squash is cool enough to handle, you can scrape out the flesh with a fork, careful not to break the strands so they appear like noodles. 

Place the squash in a large bowl.  Add the tomato-onion mixture, olives (drained from the can), and fresh chopped basil.  Stir to combine.  Top with crumbled feta and enjoy.

*As a note, if you've never eaten this squash before, the texture is a bit crunchier than actual noodles.  But it has a relatively mild flavor so don't be intimidated like I was for so many years!  It's also a very healthy way to avoid carbs.