Cooking with Pete and Barb Marczyk: Milwaukee “caviar”

Pete Marczyk and Barbara Macfarlane do not leave their work behind when they leave Marczyk Fine Foods and head for their great old Denver house with the big, new kitchen. They often bring some of their market’s choicest ingredients home with them and cook up a feast.

Pete and Barb don’t always cook dinner at their house — sometimes they enjoy the luxury of having someone else cook for them, which was the case earlier this week. “Pete and I had dinner at Peter and Kristen Park’s house — they’re good friends of ours from Milwaukee — and in addition to her amazing fried chicken and French fries, Kristen also made an orzo salad that was terrific,” says Barb. “As summer starts to unfurl, orzo salads are a must-have at most barbecues,” she adds, “and this one takes it up a notch with a little sharpness from the feta, a little sweet from the currants and the pesto, which just makes it all come together.”

See also:
– Cooking with Pete and Barb Marczyk: Stracotto
– Cooking with Pete and Barb Marczyk: Coq au vin
– What’s cooking? Pete Marczyk goes New Mex in the city with green chile

Milwaukee Caviar

1 pound cooked orzo
1 red pepper, chopped
1 orange pepper, chopped
1 long and skinny English cucumber, peeled, seeded and chopped
1/2 cup currants
1 package feta, crumbled
1/2 cup pine nuts, toasted
Salt and pepper to taste

Mix all of the ingredients in a bowl and toss liberally with salt and pepper.

Dressing

3 tablespoons prepackaged pesto
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 1/2 tablespoon fresh lemon juice or balsamic vinegar
Freshly grated Pecorino

Thin the pesto with olive oil and add vinegar or lemon juice to taste. Toss dressing with pasta and sprinkle with Pecorino.

For more from Pete, Barbara and Marczyk Fine Foods, visit the market website. And be sure to check out Pete’s blog and Marczyk Fine Wines.

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