Dine & Cook | Alternative food journalism

This summer the phrase “too hot to cook” has been tossed around more than ever before. I live in the northeast, coastal Connecticut to be exact, and the weather has been nothing short of beastly. Several of my friends from Charleston, SC summer up north and have remarked that the weather patterns are strikingly similar to those in the Battery, in August. That kind of heat is serious-- they would never joke about a thing like that.

With the excessive heat and humidity outdoors, and only semi-effective air-conditioning indoors, my Naptime Chef-ing lately has focused on fare that doesn’t require hours over the flame.  Instead, I’ve been working on cold salads, marinating meat for the grill and baking goods that only require short amounts of time in the oven. Last week I pulled out this old favorite. I knew the sweet tomatoes from the farmer’s market would be perfect paired with the vegetal artichoke hearts. I also like using orzo in summer salads since it’s light pasta that doesn’t get bogged down with starch. In my opinion there is nothing worse than gluey pasta salad that sticks to the roof of your mouth.

As I made this the other day during naptime I was reminded of the ease with which it comes together. Other than cooking the orzo, a task that requires virtually zero effort, the rest of my time was spent methodically slicing cool vegetables. The entire salad came together, at a leisurely cooking pace, in under an hour. Leaving me some extra time before my daughter woke up to get other things done around the house.

Orzo with Artichoke Hearts and Tomatoes
This salad is great served warm or cold. To store it in the fridge make sure the bowl is covered with plastic wrap. Let stand for ten minutes before serving.

• 1 1/2 c. orzo
• 4 T. pine nuts, toasted
• 1 10oz. package of frozen artichoke hearts, thawed
• 1/3 c. olive oil
• 4 T. red-wine vinegar
• Handful of cherry tomatoes, halved
• Zest of one lemon
• Juice of 1/2 lemon
• Salt & Pepper to taste

1. Cook orzo in a pot of salted boiling water accordingly to package directions.
2. Meanwhile, in a small bowl whisk together olive oil, vinegar, lemon juice and lemon zest in a bowl and set it aside.
3. In a large bowl, add the halved cherry tomatoes and thawed artichokes. Then, add in the pine nuts and cooked orzo and toss the entire mixture with two wooden spoons until everything is evenly distribute.
4. Pour the vinaigrette over the warm pasta mixture and toss it once or twice more. Add a few pinches of salt and some cranks of fresh black pepper.

Columnist Kelsey Banfield does most of her cooking while her child sleeps, you can read more of her culinary adventures on her website, The Naptime Chef.