recr[eat]e episode 1 | mediterranean orzo salad | oscar's restaurant | trying out matcha.

Timestamps 00:00 Intro 01:10 Why this dish stayed with me 03:29 Mise en place + Prep 04:28 Pasta 101 | Types of Dried Pasta | Science Behind Cooking Pasta 07:06 Salad Dressing 08:14 Plating + Tasting 10:23 Trying Out Matcha for the first time! Mediterranean Orzo Salad with Honey Mustard Dressing: a bright, textured salad recr[eat]ed with my own twists: pan-fried chickpeas, and mint sauce. Serves: 4-6 What you’ll need For the salad: 1 packet orzo pasta Chickpeas (cooked / canned, drained and rinsed) 1 tbsp vegetable oil Salt, to season Black pepper, to season Cherry tomatoes, whole 1 cucumber, diced Sweetcorn (fresh, canned, or lightly cooked) Black olives 80–100 g feta cheese, crumbled or diced 2–3 tbsp fresh mint, chopped For the honey mustard dressing: 2 tbsp olive oil 1 tbsp honey 1–2 tsp Dijon mustard (adjust to taste) 1 tbsp lemon juice (freshly squeezed) 1 tsp mint sauce Pinch of salt Black pepper, to taste Method: 1. Cook the orzo Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Adding oil in the beginning may result in an oily pasta and the sauce not sticking to it. Add the orzo and cook until tender (about 8–10 minutes, or according to packet instructions). Drain and drizzle with canola/olive oil if not adding any sauce to prevent it from sticking. You can use some of the pasta starchy water to thicken your sauce Set aside and let it cool slightly. Tip: Salt the water well — it’s your first layer of flavour. 2. Pan-fry the chickpeas Pat the chickpeas dry after draining the brine water. Heat oil in a pan over medium heat, then add chickpeas with a pinch of salt and black pepper, and smoked paprika. Cook for 3–5 minutes, tossing occasionally, until lightly golden and crisp on the outside. Set aside. 3. Make the dressing In a bowl or jar, whisk together: canola/olive oil honey Dijon mustard lemon juice salt + pepper 4. Build the salad In a large bowl combine: cooked orzo cherry tomatoes cucumber sweetcorn olives pan-fried chickpeas chopped mint crumbled feta 5. Plating Pour over the dressing, and mint sauce and toss gently until everything is coated. Finish with extra herbs, cracked black pepper, and more feta if you like. #cooking #restaurantreview #cookingseries #mediterraneansalad #chef #saladdressing #pasta #orzo #olives #zimbabwe