Corn & Zucchini Orzo Salad with Goat Cheese

I love the first batch of zucchini in my CSA share- and finding new ways to enjoy it. The spicy, creamy, lime dressing in this dish was absolutely delicious. We are huge cilantro fans in my house so the fact that this dish was loaded with one of our favorite herbs made this dish a winner.

This recipe was adapted from Food and Wine, contributed by Kay Chun. I shaved the frozen goat cheese over the top, which was noted as the fancy chef tip in the original recipe. I think I would have preferred to have just crumbled cold (not frozen) goat cheese on top! Next time. 🙂

I’m bringing this festive summer side to share at Angie’s Fiesta Friday #128. My dish from Fiesta Friday #127 was a feature this week! Yay! Check it out and join the party.

• 3 ears of corn, shucked
• 1 pound small zucchini or summer squash, halved lengthwise (about 2 large)
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• coarse salt
• freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 pound orzo
• 1/4 cup mayonnaise
• 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• 1 tablespoon minced shallot (I used 1 medium shallot)
• 1/2 teaspoon guajillo or ancho chile powder
• 1 1/2 cups coarsely chopped cilantro
• 2 ounces fresh goat cheese, frozen for grating or refrigerated for crumbling

1. Light a gas grill or heat a grill pan.
2. In a 9 x 13-inch pyrex dish or large bowl, toss the corn and zucchini with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
3. Grill over moderate heat until charred and crisp-tender, about 10 minutes for the zucchini and 15 minutes for the corn.
4. Transfer to a cutting board and let cool. Cut 
the kernels off the corn cobs and coarsely chop the zucchini; set aside.
5. Meanwhile, in a large saucepan of salted boiling water, cook the orzo until al dente. Rinse under cold water to cool. Drain well and spread the orzo out on a baking sheet; pat dry with paper towels.
6. In a large bowl, whisk the mayonnaise with the remaining 3 tablespoons of olive oil and the lime juice, shallot, chile powder and 1/2 cup of the cilantro; season with salt and pepper.
7. Add the orzo, corn, zucchini and the remaining chopped cilantro and mix well. Transfer to a platter or serving bowl.
8. Using a vegetable peeler, shave the frozen goat cheese all over the top and serve. (Alternatively, crumble cold goat cheese over the top.)

One Year Ago:

• Summer Pasta with Zucchini, Basil, & Ricotta
• Spaghetti with Corn Carbonara & Crab

Two Years Ago:

• Pesto Pasta Salad with Spinach, Peas, & Pine Nuts
• Silky Zucchini Soup

Three Years Ago:

• Mini-Farfalle Zucchini & Parsley-Walnut Pesto

About Josette@thebrookcook

I live in Stony Brook, New York on Long Island. I love garlic and baking. My hobby (and love) is to try new recipes. My favorite recipe resources include The New York Times, Food and Wine, Bon Appetit, and Martha Stewart Living. Enjoy!

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