July 2, 2020
Mediterranean Orzo Salad
This herby orzo salad is a crowd favourite and full of green flavours, bursting with fresh dill and mint, feta cheese and tangy lemon. It may look like rice, orzo is actually a small pasta and often used in Mediterranean recipes. INGREDIENTS
- 1 ¼ cup dry orzo pasta
- 1 cup canned chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- ½ lemon, juice and zest (about 2 tablespoons juice)
- ¼ cup minced shallot or red onion
- ½ English cucumber (2 cups diced, or substitute a peeled standard cucumber)
- 2 roasted red peppers from a jar or ½ fresh red bell pepper (½ cup diced)
- 1/3 cup chopped dill, plus more for garnish
- 1/3 cup chopped mint
- 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
- 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- ½ teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 cup feta cheese crumbles
- 1/3 cup Kalamata olives, halved
- Black pepper
- Prepare the orzo according to the package instructions. Taste the orzo a few minutes before completion to ensure it’s ‘al dente’ (chewy, but with a little firmness in the centre). When it’s done, drain it and then rinse it under cold water until it comes to room temperature.
- Place the chickpeas in a bowl with the lemon zest, lemon juice, and 1/4-teaspoon kosher salt.
- Mince the red onion, and then place it in a bowl with water (this helps to remove the sharp onion taste). Dice the cucumber. Dice the roasted red pepper. Chop the herbs.
- Stir together the orzo, chickpeas and bowl of lemon juice, red onion, cucumber, red pepper, dill, mint, white wine vinegar, olive oil, Dijon mustard, oregano, feta crumbles, black olives, and several grinds of black pepper. Taste and if necessary, season with more kosher salt.
Ingredients Bulgogi: 2 medium sirloin steaks 2 tbs p dark soy sauce 2 tbsp gochujang paste 1 thumb-sized piece of ginger peeled and minced 2 tbsp light brown sugar 2 tbsp rice wine 2 garlic cloves peeled and minced ½ tsp black pepper 1 grated sweet apple* no need to peel 1 tbsp toasted sesame oil 2 tbsp vegetable oil Salad: 120 g (2/3 cup) dry quinoa 1 chicken or vegetable stock cube crumbled 100 g (approx 3 cups) baby salad leaves seeds from half a pomegranate half a cucumber cut into ribbons using a potato peeler 1 red bell pepper deseeded and sliced 1 ripe mango peeled and chopped into small chunks 1 jalapeno chilli thinly sliced 3 radishes thinly sliced 1 tsp sesame seeds I used a mixture of black and white sesame seeds 2 spring onions scallions, sliced into thin strips Instructions Place the sirloin steaks in the freezer for 30 minutes to firm up slightly, then slice thinly against the grain using a sharp knife. Place the sliced steak into a large bowl and add all of the bulgogi ingredients except for the vegetable oil. Mix together thoroughly, then cover with clingfilm and place in the refrigerator for 3-4 hours to marinate. Cook the quinoa as per the pack instructions, along with the crumbled stock cube (for extra flavour). Leave to cool slightly and fluff with a fork. Once the steak has marinated, heat the vegetable oil in a large frying pan on a high heat. Scoop out the steak using a slotted spoon, allow any excess sauce to drip off, then fry the steak in the hot oil. Use a set of tongs to separate the steak sliced during cooking, and cook on a high heat until cooked through and slightly charred. Remove from the heat. Arrange the salad leaves between three bowls and top with the cooked quinoa. Sprinkle the pomegranate seeds on top of the quinoa. Arrange the cucumber, bell pepper slices, mango, jalapeno slices, and radishes in the bowls. Divide the bulgogi between the bowls and sprinkle on the sesame seeds. Top with the spring onions and serve. Nutrition Calories: 632kcal | Carbohydrates: 60g | Protein: 42g | Fat: 24g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Cholesterol: 92mg | Sodium: 1096mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 25g Prep Time: 20minutes Cook Time: 10minutes | Total Time: 30 minutes | Servings: 3
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This grilled chicken and quinoa bowl delivers lean protein from juicy chicken breast and protein-rich quinoa, paired with colorful vegetables. It's a satisfying, nutrient-dense option that supports muscle recovery and growth.