Orzo and Vegetable Confetti Salad

This is one of my most favorite things to eat in the summer.

I found it years ago in a Williams Sonoma cookbook and fell in love.


Unfortunately, the cookbook belonged to my then-step-mother. And when her & my dad divorced, I didn't get the opportunity to copy down the recipe. So for years, I didn't have it. And then after much digging, I found it online at the Williams Sonoma website. And let me tell you, I was VERY happy! You can find the actual recipe here, but I don't really change much about it.

Ingredients:

• 1 box orzo
• olive oil
• 1 tsp. grated lemon zest
• 1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
• Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
• 12 radishes, diced*
• 3 carrots, peeled and diced*
• 8 green onions, green and white portions, thinly sliced*
• 2 Tbs of capers, drained
• 1 lemon, cut into 6 slices

Directions:

In a large pot over high heat, bring the water to a boil. Add the 2 Tbs. salt and the orzo and cook until tender, 5 to 8 minutes. Drain the orzo and immediately toss it with 1 Tbs. of the olive oil. Cover and cool completely. You can put it in the fridge for this, but I usually don't. I toss it with the olive oil & just let it sit out on the counter to cool, stirring occasionally while chopping the veggies. By the time the veggies are chopped, the pasta will be cool enough to add them to the mix.

In a large bowl, whisk together 4 Tbs. olive oil, the lemon zest, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Add the radishes, carrots, green onions, capers and orzo. Toss to mix well.

It's pretty easy and straight forward, and best of all, it has a very fresh and light flavor.

*note: the quantity of carrots, onions & radishes may vary according to taste & size of said vegetable. I get my veggies from a local farm where they grow outrageously huge, so I only had to use a carrot & a half & 6 radishes & 6 onions. The whole thing is pretty much to taste anyway. It's a pretty flexible recipe.