Herbed Orzo with Feta

I'm always on the lookout for a great side dish that does well to be given some time to let the flavors marry. Especially in the peak of summer when you've got a hankering to grill something hot and fast, you can rest assured knowing this herb-flecked pasta salad is at your fingertips when the sweet corn and chicken skewers are charred and ready.

INGREDIENTS

3/4 lb orzo pasta

1/2 cup olive oil

1/2 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (from 3 lemons)

1/2 cup red onion, finely diced

1/2 cup scallions, minced

1 English cucumber, quartered and diced

1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved

handful each fresh dill and fresh flat-leaf parsley

3/4 pound feta cheese, crumbled

kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

METHOD

Bring a pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add the orzo and simmer for 9 to 11 minutes, stirring occasionally, until it's cooked al dente. Drain and pour into a large bowl.

Make the vinaigrette. It's a simple combination of equal parts lemon juice and olive oil, 1/2 cup each. Use freshly squeezed lemon juice and your best olive oil for this.

Season with to taste with salt and pepper, keeping in mind the crumbled feta will add a salty kick. I used 1 teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper and aimed for 2 teaspoons of salt, though my little helper snuck in some tiny pinches. Pour over the hot pasta and stir well.

Prepare the add-ins. Dice the red onion and mince the scallions. Quarter and dice the cucumber. Halve the cherry tomatoes. Strip the leaves off the dill and parsley and give it a rough chop.

Add to the orzo and toss well. Season again to taste with salt and pepper. Take the opportunity to notice subtle changes in flavor as you go. This fine-tunes your palette and helps you build confidence, and ultimately, ease in the kitchen. Set aside at room temperature for 1 hour to allow the flavors to blend, or refrigerate overnight.

If refrigerated, bring back to room temperature before serving. Gently stir in half the crumbled feta. Plate the orzo on a beautiful platter and scatter over the remaining feta.