The week after I gave birth to my son, my dear friend Becky brought us dinner for when we came home from the hospital. One of the components was a delicious orzo based pasta salad from Orzo with Everything.
Author: Mellissa Sevigny, Yield: (8) 1/2 cup servings, Cuisine: Pasta salad

INGREDIENTS

  • 2 cups of raw cauliflower, chopped
  • 1/2 cup radicchio, chopped
  • 1/2 cup artichoke hearts, chopped
  • 1/3 cup fresh basil, chopped
  • 1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan
  • 3 Tbsp sundried tomatoes, chopped
  • 3 Tbsp kalamata olives, chopped
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 3 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
  • 3 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • salt and pepper to taste

INSTRUCTIONS

  1. First, cook your finely chopped cauliflower in the microwave for five minutes. Don’t add any liquid or seasoning to it, just spread it on a microwave safe dish and zap it. Let the cauliflower cool while you prep the other ingredients.
  2. Combine the radicchio, artichoke hearts, basil, parmesan, sundried tomatoes, olives, and garlic in a medium bowl.
  3. In a smaller bowl, whisk together the olive oil and vinegar, then pour it over the salad. Toss to combine, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Can be served room temperature or chilled.

NOTES

Use a good quality extra virgin olive oil to get the best results. The artichoke hearts should be packed in water, not marinated in oil and seasonings.

Also, the sundried tomatoes I used were packed in oil so they were nice and soft – if you use the dehydrated ones, reconstitute in some warm water for 20 minutes before using them.

Finally, use a shredded parmesan or asiago, not the granular grated stuff you get in the can.

If you use the best quality ingredients you can get for this salad it will make a huge difference in the flavor.

Nutrition

  • Calories: 102
  • Fat: 8g
  • Carbohydrates: 4g net