Greek Orzo Salad

This is a delicious version of the classic salad made with the small rice shaped pasta that you will find in many places along the Aegean coast of Greece. Either lemon juice or lime juice may be used in the vinaigrette, but it is the tablespoon of apple cider vinegar combined with the mustard and garlic that gives this dressing its exceptional great taste.

Ingredients:

12 ounces of orzo (rice shaped pasta) cooked and allowed to cool
½ cup green onions, very finely chopped including some green tops

2 tablespoons capers, rinsed and drained
1 medium cucumber, peeled and coarsely chopped
¼ cup fresh chopped parsley

1 ½ cups crumbled Feta cheese (6 ounces)
3/4 cup pitted black Kalamata olives

Vinaigrette:

2 garlic cloves (1 Tbs.) very finely chopped or put through a press
2/3 cup olive oil

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup lime juice or lemon juice
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh dill
sea salt and freshly-ground black pepper to taste

Directions:

First prepare the vinaigrette by mixing together the olive oil, lime juice or lemon juice, mustard, cumin, apple cider vinegar, fresh chopped dill, sea salt and a generous twist of black pepper.

For the salad, simply combine the remaining ingredients in a bowl, add sea salt, a twist of black pepper and the vinaigrette. Toss to mix and serve immediately.