Recipe: Orzo and Feta with Lemon-Caper Dressing and Kalamata Olives

ORZO AND FETA WITH LEMON-CAPER DRESSING
AND KALAMATA OLIVES

"Orzo are little rice-shaped pasta that appear in many authentic Greek dishes. In this recipe they absorb the citrus juice and olive oil just enough to balance the flavor of tart capers and strong Greek Kalamata olives. The Mediterranean taste of this salad is bright and lively. Orzo is cooked with turmeric in the water, which imparts a golden-yellow color to the small pasta. For an extra colorful dish, use Whole Foods Markets tricolor orzo. This is a great buffet dish because it tastes wonderful served at room temperature. Serve as a salad or warmed through for a side dish."

1 teaspoon turmeric
1 pound orzo
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground white pepper
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup finely minced fresh parsley
1/8 cup lemon juice
1 tablespoon capers, drained
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1 cup julienned sun-dried tomatoes
1/2 cup pitted, roughly chopped Kalamata olives
1 cup crumbled feta cheese

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the turmeric, and then add the orzo; cook for 10 to 15 minutes, until it is al dente. Drain the orzo, and rinse it in cold water. Set aside.

In a bowl large enough to hold the orzo, make a dressing by blending the olive oil, white pepper, salt, parsley, lemon juice, capers, and sugar.

Add the cooked orzo to the dressing, and combine. Stir in the sun-dried tomatoes and olives. Carefully toss in the feta cheese, mixing lightly, so the feta stays in nice uniform pieces.

Serves 6

Per serving: calories 530; calories from fat 230; calories from saturated fat 60; protein 14 g; carbohydrate 61 g; total fat 26 g; saturated fat 6 g; cholesterol 20 mg; sodium 1,100 mg; 43% calories from fat

Excerpted from The Whole Foods Market Cookbook by Steve Petusevsky and Whole Foods Market Team Members
Copyright 2002 by Whole Foods, Inc.. Excerpted by permission of Clarkson Potter, a division of Random House, Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.