Pasta Salad with Feta Cheese

You’ve heard the saying that the Shoemaker’s children go without shoes. Well, today I ran out of the Olive Oil and Balsamic Vinegar I needed for this recipe. Oh, no! How could this be? This happens to other people, but not to me. I couldn’t believe it!

So, what to do? I reached into my cabinet and pulled out what I did have and was secure that the resulting taste would still be delicious.

I really intended to use Sicilian Balsamic Vinegar and Milanese Gremolata Olive Oil for this salad, but you know my story. If you have some on hand, feel free to use this pairing. The result will be a bit more tangy and not as sweet but very good as well.

You’ll notice that this pasta salad is not heavy on the pasta because we’re trying to cut down on our carbs. If you want more pasta, you can increase the amount and the salad will still be delicious.



　

Pasta Salad with Feta

¼ cup Joe and Son’s Milanese Gremolata Olive Oil
¼ cup Joe and Son’s Garlic Olive Oil
½ cup Joe and Son’s Grapefruit Balsamic Vinegar　

½ pound uncooked pasta…penne, elbow or shell

3 stalks celery, cut into small pieces
½ medium sized sweet red bell pepper, diced
½ cup green onions, cut into small pieces
Red pepper flakes, to taste
1 small can quartered artichokes, rinsed and drained
1 pound shrimp, cooked, shelled and cleaned
½ cup crumbled Feta cheese

Parsley, for garnish
Salt and pepper, to taste

For the dressing, pour the liquid ingredients into a jar with a lid and shake vigorously to mix.

Cook the pasta as directed.  Drain and set aside.

Add the remaining ingredients together in a large serving bowl. Stir to mix well.

Pour ½ of the dressing on the salad mix, and stir to evenly coat the salad. Add more dressing if needed.

Taste and adjust the seasonings with salt and pepper.
Garnish with parsley and serve chilled or at room temperature.

Serves 4.

　

　

　

Potato Salad with Olive Oil and Balsamic Vinegar

If you're looking for a potato salad that's filling and has some crunch to it, than this may be the one for you. It's simple to prepare and has a punch of color to it which adds to its visual appeal.

I made this salad with the Olive Oil and Balsamic Vinegar listed here, but other infused oils and vinegars could be substituted to get an equally good taste.  Milanese Gremolata would pair well with the Sicilian Lemon Balsamic. Another tasty pairing would be our Grapefruit Balsamic paired with our Persian Lime Oil.



Potato Salad with Olive Oil and Balsamic Vinegar



 
　   2 pounds Red Potatoes, peeled and cut into bite sized pieces
       3 ribs Celery cut into small pieces
       10 cherry tomatoes, cut in half
       2 cups of crisp Romaine lettuce, torn into bite sized pieces
       1 small Red Onion, thinly sliced
1/4 cup Joe and Son’s Wild Fernleaf Dill Olive Oil
3 tablespoons Joe and Son’s Sicilian Lemon Balsamic Vinegar
Salt and freshly Ground Pepper
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon mayonnaise
 Parsley, for garnish
　
　
In 4-quart saucepan, place potatoes, 1 teaspoon salt and enough water to cover; heat to boiling over high heat. Cook until fork tender, but still firm. Drain and set aside.

In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, balsamic vinegar,  mustard and mayonnaise with a pinch of salt and freshly ground pepper.

Combine the remaining ingredients except for the parsley, in a large bowl and toss with dressing to coat.

Serve chilled or at room temperature.