Orzo Salad With Basil-sherry Vinaigrette

Total Time: 20 mins Preparation Time: 20 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 4
• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 3 tablespoons sweet cream sherry
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 1/4 cup minced fresh basil or 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 2 tablespoons minced shallots (see tip)
• 1/4 teaspoon salt (to taste)
• 1/4 teaspoon fresh ground pepper (to taste)
• 1 ear sweet corn or 1 cup frozen corn
• 3/4 cup orzo pasta, riso or 3/4 cup rosamarina pasta
• 2 plum tomatoes, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• salt & freshly ground black pepper
• 4 leaves butter lettuce or 4 leaves other soft-leafed lettuce
• 1 small fresh basil sprig (to garnish)

Recipe

• 1 to make basil-sherry vinaigrette:.
• 2 whisk together the oil, sherry, and lemon juice in a small bowl.
• 3 stir in the remaining ingredients.
• 4 taste and adjust the seasoning.
• 5 refrigerate in a covered container for up to 4 days.
• 6 whisk or shake before serving.
• 7 to make the orzo salad:.
• 8 place the ear of corn on a microwaveable dish covered loosely with waxed paper. microwave on high until hot, about 2 minutes. (if using frozen corn, cook according to package instructions. drain well.) set aside to cool.
• 9 bring a small saucepan of salted water to a boil. cook the pasta according to package directions. drain well. rinse with cool water; drain again.
• 10 when the corn has cooled, cut the kernels off the cob. (it's best to cut or break the ear in half. on a cutting board, hold the cob upright. using a sharp knife, slide the blade downwards, letting the kernels fall on the board, rotating the cob a quarter turn at a time until all the kernels are removed.).
• 11 in a medium bowl, toss together the pasta, corn, and tomatoes. add ¼ cup of the vinaigrette and toss again.
• 12 refrigerate the salad and the remaining vinaigrette in separate covered containers for at least 2 hours or for up to 2 days. serve the salad chilled or at room temperature.
• 13 toss salad with an additional 1/4 c vinaigrette just before serving. taste and add salt and pepper as desired.
• 14 spoon the salad onto lettuce-lined salad plates and garnish with basil sprigs.
• 15 do as the italians do and include this dish among an assortment of antipasti. or you can serve it as a light lunch or as an out-of-the-ordinary accompaniment to grilled fish or chicken.