The
seasons in Southern California are only slightly distinguishable.
Sometimes, a winter day can be warmer than a day in gloomy June, and
in October, we might get the hottest days of the year. Still, our
summers are unbeatable. When people at times tell me they find it
tedious to have the same weather day in and day out, I beg to differ.
I say “bring it on”. I come from a country that has very iffy
summers, so I don't mind being bored with the same sunny weather over
and over.
The
cloudless sky is the palest of blues, and it's not typically very
clear, sort of fuzzy around the edges. In the late afternoon,
everything is bathed in a soft, hazy light. It might be pretty warm
inland, but closer to the ocean, there is always a little breeze. The
sunsets are straightforward, the evenings cool and sleeping is easy.
And it never rains. I enjoy that predictability.
Summer
is also a great excuse to get a little lazy in the kitchen. Sometimes
we have only a green salad for dinner, a quick sausage on the
barbecue, a picnic, or we'll just nibble on cheese and crackers. The
one dish I make pretty consistently though is a pasta salad. I hardly
call that cooking, but to me, it is one of the essential summer
foods.
I like
using the little playful shapes of Acini Di Pepe which remind me of
peppercorns, or Orzo, which resembles rice kernels. Tossed in a
simple vinaigrette, each bite just seems to have more character than
when using a larger pasta. The salad comes together quickly, flecked
with aromatic herbs and mixed with a few deep purple Kalamata olives,
flavor-bursting sun-dried tomato slivers and tangy Feta cheese. I
toss in a handful of Arugula just before serving and savor the
combination of soft and crispy with the uniquely sharp bite of the
greens.
Here
is to those lazy hazy crazy days of summer.
Arugula
Pasta Salad
Inspired
by Sunset Magazine
Serves
4
1 cup
Orzo or Acini di Pepe
2 Tb
olive oil
1 Tb
red wine or seasoned rice vinegar
1/2 -
3/4 tsp dried Italian herbs
1/2
tsp salt, a few grinds of pepper
1/3
cup slivered sun-dried tomatoes in oil (blot of excess oil)
14
pitted Kalamata olives, sliced
1/3
cup crumbled Feta cheese
2-3
cups small Arugula leaves
Cook
pasta until al dente, drain and rinse with cold water. In large bowl,
combine olive oil, herbs, salt and pepper and toss with pasta. Mix in
olives, tomatoes and feta cheese. Just before serving, gently toss
with Arugula. Add more salt if needed.
