wild wednesday: orzo salad

featured meal at leigh's house: chicken and artichoke orzo salad (a variation of this recipe)

• 1 pound orzo
• One 6-ounce jar marinated artichoke-heart quarters, drained, 4 reserved and the rest coarsely chopped
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1 shallot, chopped
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1 teaspoon dried Greek oregano
• 2 large basil leaves
• 1/2 cup white wine vinegar
• 3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• Salt and freshly ground pepper
• 10 oil-packed sun-dried tomato halves, drained and sliced into 1/4-inch strips
• 5 scallions, thinly sliced crosswise
• 1 pound chicken, cubed
• 2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley

In a pot of boiling salted water, cook the orzo until al dente. Drain and rinse under cold water, then drain; transfer to a bowl.

Meanwhile, in a blender, puree the 4 reserved artichoke quarters with the garlic, shallot, mustard, oregano, basil and vinegar. With the machine on, pour in the oil; season with salt and pepper.

Stir 1 cup of the vinaigrette into the orzo. Add the chopped artichokes, sun-dried tomatoes, scallions, chicken and parsley; season with salt and pepper. Spoon the orzo into shallow bowls and serve, passing the remaining vinaigrette at the table.

(thanks to sofia for capturing these images. not bad! for more, click here)