Tomatoes, how do I love thee? Let me count the ways. I love thee in the morning, in my omelet. I love thee at lunch, in my salad. I love thee with my dinner, in the evenings.
According to Wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tomatoes#Tomato_records ), tomatoes are now grown and eaten around the world. They are used in many diverse ways. From salads to ketchup; from salsa to tomato juice; whole or diced sent; fresh or canned; on pizzas or in stews; in Italian or even Middle Eastern cuisines.
In terms of nutrition, tomatoes are considered to be of great benefit. They contain lycopene and are considered to help prevent prostate cancer and to decrease the risk of breast cancer. According to the United States department of agriculture (http://ucanr.org/freepubs/docs/7228.pdf), California accounts for over 90% of U.S. production of tomatoes. Is it any wonder that tomatoes are ubiquitous in California cuisine?
Today’s recipe incorporates tomatoes with orzo and feta cheese. Orzo is small pasta that resembles grains of rice. It can be served warm or cold and blends well with vegetables.
Tomato and Orzo Salad with Feta
Ingredients
- 1 cup Orzo (a package usually yields about 2 cups or 16 oz.)
- 2 cloves fresh garlic, finely chopped (or 1 tsp. dehydrated garlic flakes if you are out of fresh)
- 1 tblsp extra virgin olive oil (or you can use grape seed oil)
- 8-10 asparagus spears, cut into bite-sized pieces
- 1 cup packed fresh spinach - chopped (you can substitute half of the spinach with arugula if you want a little more bite to the dish).
- ½ cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
- ¾ cup coarsely chopped tomatoes (or use cherry or grape tomatoes that you have cut in half).
- Juice of ½ large Lime
- Juice of ½ Lemon
- 1/3 cup feta cheese (you can also substitute grated or shredded Parmesan – but do not use a powdered Parmesan)
- ½ tsp. red pepper flakes
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Directions
1. Using, a medium sauce pan, bring 4 cups of water to boil, adding a pinch of salt. Stir in the orzo and cook according to package directions until tender (About 10 minutes, less if you like your pasta al dente). Drain Orzo and set aside in a large bowl.
2. Start the sauté of the fresh garlic in the olive oil and add in the asparagus. Sauté the mixture for 3 or 4 minutes.
3. Stir in the spinach/arugula. Continue to stir and cook only until asparagus is tender crisp and the spinach shrinks down a bit. (An alternative is to cook the spinach, but stir in some chopped Arugula at the very end of cooking.)
4. Add the vegetable mixture to the Orzo in the bowl. Add the tomatoes, fresh chopped parsley, the fresh lime and lemon juice and the red pepper flakes as well
5. Fold the veg mixture into the Orzo until well incorporated, but do not over stir.
6. Sprinkle feta cheese over the top of the salad and finish by seasoning with salt and pepper. You may also add more lemon or lime juice if you so desire.
7. Serve warm as an accompaniment to your favorite chicken, fish, or lamb dish.
Serves 4-6
