The Summer Solstice. An ancient holiday in honor of the longest day of the year. Rituals and traditions for this annual celebration of the sun date back thousands of years to the Neolithic era in Northern and Central Europe. Makes sense as that part of the world lived in near to total darkness, in winter, before electricity. I’d be celebrating the summer sun, too!
We here in SoCal, get to soak up our star’s rays most of the year, so it’s not as monumental an event other than getting to sit out longer before the sun sets. This is great for outdoor dining, which leads to my recipe, because of course, my way to celebrate this and every festivity is to cook for and feed others.
When thinking about a summer celebration recipe, I knew that it was going to be a pasta salad. Somehow pasta salads epitomize warm weather al fresco dining. I chose orzo for it’s light bite in the searing sun. In addition, I wanted to make sure to include summer produce. Fresh peas and golden summer tomatoes seemed a good choice, though an unusual combination. I like to lean towards the unusual in my cooking. Lemon, with its bright taste, seemed a refreshing addition as did swaths of basil ribbons. A sweet, white balsamic vinaigrette tempered with salty chunks of feta make this side dish ideal for all summer entrees. You can even serve it as your main course with a side green salad and crusty slices of baguette dipped in olive oil. Washed down with a chilled glass of Muscato or Prosecco, you’ll be transported to another time and place. Cheers to the sun!
Chef’s Tips:
- Orzo is a great pasta for salads. It’s not always available at every market. Trader Joe’s has their eponymous brand. Pavilions has Barilla brand. Make sure to cook the orzo al dente, as you would larger noodles. Strain in a wire mesh strainer to prevent the small pasta from slipping through the larger holes of typical colanders. Immediately rinse with cold water to stop the cooking process. Let it drain and then transfer to a large bowl. Toss with 2 tsp of olive oil to prevent the orzo from sticking together and absorbing too much dressing. You can make the salad right away or transfer to a covered bowl and refrigerate up to 2 days until ready to use.
- Fresh peas are available at Trader Joe’s. Sometimes you can find them at the Larchmont Farmer’s Market this time of year. I give instructions for blanching the peas after the recipe. Make sure to follow, as you want the peas to have a bit of crunch in the otherwise creamy salad. You can use frozen peas, though they won’t be as crisp. Make sure to blanch those as well.
- The yellow Comet tomatoes from Nature’s Sweet are divine. I bought them at Pavilions. If you can’t find baby yellow tomatoes, substitute with red though the salad will have a different visual look.
- Plant based feta isn’t as salty and tangy as dairy feta. I used one container of Follow Your Heart brand, as I wanted it light and not too cheez-y. For a cheesier flavor you can add more. This feta is available at all supermarkets, including Whole Foods and Target.
- Please note that white balsamic vinegar is sweeter than white wine vinegar. I love it for this summer salad. If you want a more acidic bite you can replace some or all with white wine or champagne vinegar. Red vinegars will alter the color of the salad.
- The salad gets an extra lemon kick from lemon infused olive oil. There are many brands available at Monsieur Marcel, the Farmer’s Market, Williams Sonoma and online. You can replace the lemon olive oil with regurlar olive oil and extra lemon juice if you don’t want to invest in a bottle. I note that in the recipe.
Salad for a Summer Solstice
1 lb package dry orzo pasta
Good, buttery extra virgin olive oil
10 oz. fresh green peas, blanched and drained, recipe follows
10 oz. yellow baby tomatoes, cut in half
Dressing, recipe follows
1 Container Follow Your Heart vegan feta
1 cup chopped fresh basil ribbons
Zest of one large lemon
Additional salt and pepper to taste
Cook the pasta al dente according to package directions. Drain in a very large mesh strainer over a colander. If you don’t have a large mesh strainer, make sure your colander has small holes to prevent the orzo from slipping through. Immediately rinse the orzo with cold water to stop the cooking process. Let drain for 5- 10 minutes. Transfer to a very large mixing bowl and toss with 2 tsp plain olive oil to prevent sticking. It also helps prevent the pasta from absorbing all of the dressing. If not making the salad right away transfer to a large covered container and refrigerate. Otherwise keep the orzo in the bowl and continue making the salad.
Add half of the dressing and toss to thoroughly coat the orzo.
Add the peas and tomatoes and toss to distribute.
Add the rest of the dressing and toss
Add the cheese and toss
Add the basil and lemon zest and toss
Ok. Now taste for seasoning. Add salt and pepper to taste. If it seems a bit dry add some regular olive oil. This salad will look dry compared to pasta salads at markets and restaurants which I find to be overly dressed and oily. The dressing should just kiss the pasta and veggies.
Transfer to a large serving bowl or platter and top with more lemon zest and basil ribbons.
Enjoy!
Refrigerate leftovers. Do not freeze.
Blanched Peas
10 oz package fresh peas
2 tsp organic cane sugar
1 tsp kosher salt
1 large bowl filled 2/ 3 of the way up with half water and half ice cubes (ice bath) set up next to the stove
Bring 3 quarts water to a boil. Add the sugar and salt to dissolve.
Add the peas and bring back to a gentle boil. Cook 1-2 minutes until al dente. They will be crisp and seem undercooked. You want that for this salad as they add a crunch factor and retain their bright green color. No mushy peas!
Using a large slotted spoon immediately transfer the peas to the ice bath.
When the peas are cooled strain in a fine mesh strainer or colander with small holes.
Let dry out.
Can be cooked a day ahead.
Lemon Dressing
Use a buttery olive oil vs a bitter peppery variety to not overwhelm the other flavors
1/4 cup white balsamic vinegar
1 T fresh lemon juice (2 if using all regular olive oil)
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1/4 cup lemon-infused olive oil
5 T good buttery extra virgin olive oil
In a bowl dissolve the salt in the vinegar and lemon juice.
Whisk in the pepper.
Slowly whisk in the two olive oils.
Taste for seasoning and flavor. Adjust to your palate.
