Lentilandorzosalad Recipes

GRILLED VEGGIE AND ORZO SALAD

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the orzo according to package directions. Drain and set aside.
• Add the dried oregano, garlic powder, onion powder, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper and 1/2 cup of the olive oil to a large bowl. Whisk to combine, then add all the prepped vegetables. Toss the vegetables to coat them in the marinade.
• Heat a grill pan over medium-high heat. Once the pan is heated, add the vegetables in batches, being sure to keep them in a single layer and not to overcrowd the pan. Grill until the vegetables have nice char marks and are beginning to soften, 2 to 3 minutes. Flip the vegetables and cook for an additional 2 to 3 minutes. Remove to a rimmed baking sheet. Keep grilling until all the vegetables are cooked. Cool slightly, then cut the vegetables into small bite size pieces. Save any leftover marinade to build the dressing for the salad.
• To the serving bowl with the leftover marinade from the vegetables, add the lemon zest, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper and the remaining 1/4 cup olive oil. Whisk to combine. Add the cooked orzo and the chopped grilled vegetables and toss to combine. Add the feta, parsley and dill and toss again. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
• Serve immediately or keep at room temperature until ready to serve.

LENTIL AND ORZO SALAD

Steps:

• Bring 6 cups of salted water to a boil in a large pot.
• Add the orzo and boil for 8-10 minutes or until tender.
• Drain, and toss with 1 Tablespoon of the olive oil.
• Spread the orzo onto a sheet pan, and cool in the refrigerator.
• Meanwhile, place the lentils, carrot, celery, onion, bay leaf, and salt into a large pot, and add enough water to cover.
• Bring to a simmer, and cook until lentils are just tender, about 25 minutes.
• Drain, and discard the carrots, celery, onions, and bay leaf.
• Mix the lentils and the cooled orzo in a large salad bowl.
• Add the cucumber, tomato, parsley, almonds, mint, basil, lemon juice, and remaining oil.
• Toss until combined, and season to taste with salt and pepper.
• Set aside to allow the flavors to develop for at least 1 hour before serving.

LENTIL SALAD

Steps:

• Whisk the vinegar, olive oil, mustard, salt, pepper, parsley and thyme together in a large mixing bowl. Add the warm lentils and bacon and stir to combine. Serve warm or at room temperature.;
• Pick over the lentils, rinse and drain. Place the lentils along with the onion, garlic, bay leaf, salt and pork into a large 6-quart saucepan and cover with water by 2 to 3 inches. Place over high heat and bring just to a rolling boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer until the lentils are tender, approximately 25 to 30 minutes. Drain any remaining liquid and discard the onion, garlic, bay leaf and salt pork. Stir in black pepper and taste for salt. Serve immediately.
• Note from Alton: Those of you who watched this program on the 17th or 18th will want to disregard one particular suggestion I made regarding lentils: don't feed the left over onions to your dog. It turns out onions are not good for dogs in any shape or form. I'm grateful to the fans who emailed me after the airing for setting me straight on this nutritional peculiarity. As for my own dog's ability to digest onions, well...she's more hog than dog I guess.
• Cook smart,
• Alton