Remembering my Dad with Orzo ...

Father’s Day was extremely special at my house this year as we celebrated my husband’s first Father’s Day! Our son, Davis, is the light of his life (and mine) and Dan is a terrific dad. While Dan played a bit of Father’s Day golf in the morning, I decided to cook up a nice lunch for his return.

It was extraordinarily hot in DC over the weekend so I turned to a tried and true favorite, my Pat McCarthy Orzo Salad. It is a cool and refreshing dish that isn’t heavy but still filling and satisfying.

As many of you know, my beloved dad passed away almost six years ago and loved food and cooking. Being that it was Father’s Day, I couldn’t help but think of him even more than usual. I wanted to cook something that reminded me of him to celebrate his life and honor him on Father’s Day. Because I know that he was looking down at me from above and saying, “C’mon Colleen, cook something I would have loved today to share with your husband and son on Dan’s first Father’s Day.”

In the Fall of 2004, my dad was recovering from his cancer surgery and had some time on his hands. It was during this time that he discovered Food Network and more specifically, Ina Garten, better known as the Barefoot Contessa. He thought Ina Garten was terrific and the dishes she prepared on her show appealed to him and inspired him. My dad was a planner when it came to food. He would eat breakfast and already be thinking about what we were going to make for dinner.

In that fashion, I remember the call from my dad in early November 2004 that he had just watched the Barefoot Contessa prepare a side dish of orzo with roasted vegetables and he was so excited because he decided he would cook it for our family for our Christmas dinner along with crab cakes. He wanted to make a special dinner for us as we would be together as a family for the holiday. With his cancer battle and my brother having gotten out of the military that year, it was going to be a special Christmas for us.

We hadn’t eaten orzo in my house growing up so he was beyond excited to cook up this delicious concoction for us. If I remember right, he even told the nurses at the hospital where he was getting his chemotherapy treatments about his new orzo dish he was going to cook for Christmas Dinner. My dad passed away on December 22, 2004 so we never did get to have his orzo with roasted vegetables but I chose to remember him and celebrate his life on Father’s Day by making something similar.

I started with some whole wheat orzo which doesn’t taste much different than regular orzo. I boiled the orzo and then added a quick lemon vinaigrette to the orzo. Then, I tossed in chickpeas, kalamata olives and diced roasted red peppers. I also sprinkled some feta cheese on top.  You can use any vegetables you want or even add in some chicken or shrimp to make this a main course. I ate some of it while it was still warm but it was still delicious served cold when my husband arrived home from golf. This is also great served with my favorite hummus.

Although this dish is a summer version of what my dad had planned to prepare, it made me feel so good to prepare something I know my dad would have enjoyed. One of my goals in writing this blog is to pass on the joy of cooking and food that my dad passed on to anyone who met him.

So, here’s to you, Dad! We felt your presence with us with each bite of orzo. In memory, here is a pick of me and my dad that I love taken 11 years ago.  We were sharing a piece of cheesecake.  One of the most important things my dad taught me was never to forget a good meal or dessert!

Pat McCarthy Orzo Salad (serves 4 as a side dish)

Ingredients
*1 ½ cups orzo
*1/4 cup olive oil
*1 ½ teaspoon minced garlic
*1 tablespoon dried oregano
*3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
*A few splashes of balsamic vinegar to taste
*3/4 cup kalamata olives
*1/2 cup chickpeas
*1/2 cup roasted red peppers
*Feta cheese



Details
*Add orzo to boiling water and cook until tender.
*In a small bowl, whisk the lemon juice, garlic and oregano. Slowly add the olive oil while whisking.
*Add a few splashes of balsamic vinegar to taste
*Add orzo to serving bowl and slowly add the vinaigrette while tossing the orzo.
*Add roasted red peppers, chickpeas and kalamata olives and toss. Sprinkle with Feta cheese.