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Saturday, June 06, 2009

Lamb, Orzo, and Eggplant Salad

Seasonal Recipe of the Week
This is a great salad to serve for a summer lunch party, especially if you have leftover lamb (which I never know what to do with). If you don’t have leftover lamb, go to the farmer's market, buy a piece, and grill it just for this occasion. This recipe makes enough for 6-8 people.

Ingredients
1 large eggplant, cut into 3/4 inch cubes
2 cloves minced garlic
1 pound cooked orzo, cooked al dente and cooled
1 1/4 pounds cooked lamb, cut into 3/4 inch cubes
3/4 cup pitted and sliced Greek olives
1/2 red onion, chopped
1 yellow pepper, diced
1 cup grape tomatoes, cut in half
1/2 cup toasted pine nuts
1 cup chopped parsley
2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary
1 large egg yolk
1 large egg
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
3 cloves minced garlic
1 teaspoon lemon zest
1 1/4 cups olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste

Procedure
Preheat oven to 375. Place the eggplant cubes on a baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and garlic and toss to combine. Bake, stirring occasionally ‘til the eggplant is tender, about 30-40 minutes. Let cool. Combine the orzo, lamb, olives, onion, tomatoes, onion, peppers, nuts, parsley and rosemary in a bowl. Toss to mix. Prepare the dressing: place the egg yolks, egg, lemon juice, oregano, garlic and lemon zest in a food processor, process 10 seconds. Then, through the top while machine is running, add oil in a slow steady stream, making a thick mayonnaise. Season with salt and pepper. Combine salad and dressing and let sit at least 30 minutes in the fridge to combine flavors. Garnish with a fresh sprig of rosemary and some sliced lemon.