9.22.2011

Dog Days of Summer Salad, and a Frittata

Tomorrow marks the official start of fall and I for one am thrilled for cool nights, sweaters, foliage and butternut squash season.  While I'm 99% ready for fall, I could stand a few more weeks of endless produce that make summer meal planning a cinch.   Last weekend we scored some of the last zucchini, corn, basil and heirloom tomatoes we could find and tossed them together with some orzo for an easy weekday side dish, and then an amazing frittata. I followed this recipe rather very loosely.

Cast of Characters: (sorry, I forgot a picture) 
1/2 lb of orzo, cooked and drained.
1 medium zucchini, diced
2 ears of corn, cut off the cob
1 red bell pepper, seeded and roughly chopped
3 scallions, chopped
2 cloves of garlic
1 green tomato, chopped
5-6 leaves of basil, chopped finely
Zest and juice from one lemon
4 tbsp of olive oil (I did 3 tbsp of regular extra virgin and 1 tbsp of lemon infused)
Coarse Salt and Pepper
Hot Sauce (I used Cochon's sweet potato habanero sauce) 



1.  Boil water, add salt and cook orzo for 8-10 minutes, drain.  Run the colander under cold water to cool orzo and set aside. 


2.  Meanwhile, heat 2 tbsp of extra virgin olive oil in a skillet, add corn, red pepper and garlic to the skillet.  Cook for 4-5 minutes until tender. 


3. Combine zucchini, green tomato and scallions, corn mixture and orzo in a bowl.  Mix in lemon zest and juice, remaining olive oil, hot sauce and basil.  Add salt and pepper to taste.

4.  Put in the fridge to chill and let the flavors get friendly for a few hours.  Enjoy on its own, with a piece of chicken or fish, on top of some romaine, as a side to a burger, or my personal favorite, in a frittata.  

To make a 4 serving frittata: whisk together 4 eggs, chopped basil, salt and pepper.   Add 1 1/2 cup of the orzo mixture. Pour egg/orzo mixture into an oiled oven proof skillet over medium heat on top of the stove.  Allow to set up on the stove for 6-8 minutes (you want the sides to be sticking.)  Put the skillet in the oven at 425 degrees for 10-12 minutes or until firm in the middle.  Cool on stove top for 2-5 minutes, flip the frittata out onto a plate or cooling rack and enjoy.  This was really delicious, like quiche but more moist.  The frittata serves as a perfect breakfast with fruit, or lunch with side salad.  I would make the orzo again just to make the frittata! 

Have a great weekend sweet readers!  It's been a stressful work week and I think I'm on the brink of a cold/flu so I plan on laying low and finishing a phenomenal book.

13 comments:

audrey marie said...

looks delic!

hope you feel better - i have felt a cold coming on all week too!

Bravoe Runway said...

This looks delicious and I'll have to try it! I hope you don't come down with what has been going around...I caught that last week. Sinus infection...rest up!

Style Journey said...

Oh my gosh! that looks delicious! Hope you get some rest and relaxation this weekend!

Style Journey said...

It's me again! Yes, we did do a remix on boots. At the top of our blog you will see a page called Mother/Daughter Remix. It has links to all the remixes we have done so far. Maybe you will find some inspiration! Heather

Fabrizia Spinelli said...

Hi! Your blog is really cool, I like it!! look so delicious!
Come and visit my blog, and if you like it, follow me, I'll be waiting for you!

Cosa mi metto???

..: Curvy & Petite :.. said...

All these looks soo yummy :) Hope you feel better :S

Happy Friday girl! Enjoy your weekend!!



Peace & Love.
Jimely Rosas.

Danielle Moss said...

YUM. Looks so good.

Anonymous said...

Butternut squash--greatest squash EVER! I love it when you post recipes with all the photos. You make food look so sexy. :)

I'm pretty sure I read in a medical textbook that the only way to stop a cold in its tracks is to drown it in ice cream and brownies. Or I might have just made that up--either way, it's worth trying! Feel better soon.

alicia said...

this recipe looks SO GOOD! think I'm gonna try it! :)

Amanda said...

This looks so tasty! And right up my alley with all those yummy veggies :) I am by no means a cook but I might have to try this one...

http://somethingoldmeetssomethingnew.blogspot.com/

Adriana said...

Yummy this looks good:)
-Little Petite

Sam said...

That looks really good, thanks for the recipe!

Wida said...

I love you soooo much for this recipe! Bookmarked!


Wida
Missing Amsie Blog

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