I attended my high school reunion and caered the Sunday picnic
We had Ina Garten's Chicken Salad Veronique, Spicy Roasted Pork Loin with home-made mustard, a fresh fruit try, a raw vegetable platter, and Orzo with Dried Apricots and Pistachios with a Ginger Vinaigrette. Here is that recipe:
Orzo, Dried Apricots and Pistachios with Ginger Vinaigrette
Vinaigrette:
½ cup sherry vinegar
3 Tbsp minced shallots
1/3 cup finely minced fresh ginger
¼ tsp salt, or to taste
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 Tbsp Dijon mustard
1 & ½ cups canola oil (do not use olive oil)
Minced crystallized ginger to taste
Combine the vinegar, shallots, ginger, salt pepper, and mustard in a medium bowl. Whisk in the oil, drop by drop at first, then in a thin steady stream. Add minced, crystallized ginger to suit your taste. Refrigerate until ready to use.
Salad ingredients:
1 pound orzo pasta
1 cup dried apricots
1 cup whole shelled pistachios
1 bunch green onion, sliced thin
2/3 cup Italian parsley, minced
Directions:
Drop the apricots into boiling water for about a minute to soften. Drain and chop.
Cook the orzo according to package directions. Drain and transfer to a large mixing bowl. Add remaining salad ingredients and toss. Add vinaigrette and combine well to coat pasta. Refrigerate for at least a few hours to let the salad tastes mingle with each other. Toss in more crystallized ginger, stir, and serve.
Hints:
Sherry vinegar is a must; no substitutions!
Neutral oil (canola or vegetable) is preferable to olive oil, which is too strong
I like the ginger taste to be assertive, but don’t overdo it!
