Orzo Salad

Ingredients

• 400g Orzo Pasta.
• 2 Bell Peppers, mixed colours – sliced 1cm length ways.
• 1 Red onion peeled and quartered into wedges.
• 200g Cherry \ small vine tomatoes.
• 3 tbsp pesto.
• 1tsp dried mixed herbs or herby BBQ rub (I used Big Phat Greek).
• 1 Tbsp Olive oil.
• Salt and Pepper to taste.

Ingredients – Pesto

• 175g walnut halves or pieces.
• 1 garlic clove.
• Handful fresh Mint (or Wild Garlic during April).
• 100g parmesan freshly grated plus extra to finish.
• Juice 1/2 Lemon.
• 150 ml good olive oil (you might not need all of it).
• Sea Salt and Pepper to taste, I used SeaCrack Lemon salt.

Method

1. Its much easier if you make the Pesto first – Put the nuts in a food processor with the Mint, Parmesan, garlic (not if you’re using Wild Garlic), lemon juice and 1/2 the oil. Blitz adding more oil as required to get the consistency you like, then season to taste.
2. If you’re roasting the veg and tomatoes on the BBQ, then set for in-direct, roughly 200c
3. Put the onion and peppers into a roasting tray, drizzle with oil, season and sprinkle with herbs/rub. Roast.
4. Once the veggies are 3/4 cooked (roughly 20 mins), give the veg a mix and drop in the tomatoes.
5. While the tomatoes are roasting, boil the Orzo as per the instructions
6. Drain the pasta and pace in a bowl, add the pesto 3/4 and mix well. Then add 3/4 of the roasted veg and mix gently again.
7. Empty into a serving dish and place the last of the roasted veg on top, drizzling any juices all over.
8. Add the last of the grated parmesan to finish