Greek Orzo and Grilled Shrimp Salad

My friend Lea went to the South Beach Food and Wine festival a few years ago.  I was totally jealous because she got to meet a bunch of the Food Network chefs and watch them cook live and in person.  She also brought a present back for me...a cookbook...autographed by Bobby Flay!  Quite possibly one of the coolest gifts I've ever gotten.  I've used that cookbook so much that I've broken the spine, stained almost every page with some sort of ingredient or sauce or something. Every page except the one with his autograph--that one I should probably frame or preserve or encase in glass (maybe that's a little too extreme, so I'll just take a picture).

But anyway, as much as I treasure the autograph, this cookbook is even better!  Some of my favorite summertime recipes are from it, as is today's recipe.  Greek Orzo and Grilled Shrimp Salad with Mustard-Dill Vinaigrette is a great picnic salad.  It is summery and light and travels well to cook-outs, too. It's pretty straight-forward to make and can be made ahead of time, and is even better the second day.

If you aren't familiar with orzo, it's a rice-shaped pasta that cooks up pretty quickly.  If you can't find it, any small pasta will do (I've even made this salad with quinoa for a big protein, whole-grain punch).

So, without any further ado...here's the recipe:

Greek Orzo & Grilled Shrimp Salad with Mustard-Dill Vinaigrette
From Bobby Flay's Grilling for Life
Click here for printable recipe

Orzo Salad
1 3/4 cups orzo
1 large English cucumber, diced
3 green onions, thinly sliced
1 cup grape tomatoes, halved (or cherry tomatoes, quartered)
1/4 cup chopped fresh dill
1/4 cup white wine vinegar
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup olive oil
8 oz feta, crumbled

1.  Bring a large pot of salted cold water to a boil.  Add the orzo and cook until al dente, 7-8 minutes. Drain well.
2.  Combine orzo, cucumber, green onions, and tomatoes in a large bowl.
3.  Combine the dill, vinegar, mustard, salt and pepper in a blender and blend until smooth.  with the motor running slowly drizzle in the olive oil and blend until emulsified.  Pour the vinaigrette over the orzo mixture and stir well to combine.  Gently fold in the feta cheese.  Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes and up to 8 hours.

Grilled Shrimp
24 medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
Fresh dill

1.  Heat your grill to high (or you can also use a grill pan).
2.  Place the shrimp in a large bowl, toss with the oil and season with the salt and pepper.  Grill for 1 1/2  to 2 minutes per side until just cooked through.
3.  Remove the orzo salad from the refrigerator and transfer it to a large platter.  Top with the grilled shrimp and garnish with the dill before serving.