Warm Orzo Salad with Beets & Greens
Description
I harvested our beets this week, with a mission to come up with something to do with them, that could also use up the greens. This is what I came up with.
Ingredients
- 3/4 pound beets, with greens attached
- 1/4 cup pine nuts
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1/2 medium red onion, thinly sliced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 8 ounces orzo pasta
- 3 ounces feta cheese, crumbled
- kosher salt & freshly ground pepper
Directions
- Heat the pine nuts in a dry skillet, over medium heat, until they begin to brown. Watch them carefully, as they will burn in a flash. Remove from the heat & transfer to a bowl. Set aside.
- Peel the beets & chop them into bite-sized pieces. Remove the stems from the beet greens & slice the leaves into strips. Wash the greens thoroughly to remove any grit.
- Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the sliced red onion & garlic. Cook until the onions are tender & golden brown, about 10 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium low & add the beet greens. Cover & cook, tossing occasionally, until the greens are wilted, about 5 minutes.
- Meanwhile, cook the beets in a pot of salted water, until just tender, about 10-12 minutes. Remove the beets from the pot using a slotted spoon & set aside. Return the water to a boil & add the pasta. Cook, according to the package instructions, until al dente & drain. Add the orzo to a bowl, along with the beets, pine nuts, beet greens & crumbled feta. Toss, season with salt & pepper to taste & serve.
