I’ve wanted to try making orzo ever since I tried it last fourth of july. Orzo is a pasta that looks rice, but a little bigger and thicker, so it makes for a fancier substitution for rice.
Picking out a recipe for orzo was pretty difficult, there is so much that I want to try! I’ve always wanted to try making risotto too, so I was intrigued by using the orzo to make risotto like in this recipe calling it orzotto. I thought it would be too heavy with the tuna, so I kept looking and stashed the recipe for later. The next was this lovely risotto with gruyere, but alas I have no money for that delicious cheese.
So I found this recipe. A combination of all the things I love- lemon, garlic, cheese, and herbs. Pretty much catered to our tastes and our budget. I thought the lemon risotto would pair well with tuna.
The orzo was really great. I loved it and I can’t wait to try more recipes using it.
Oh and to make it more of a meal you can add pieces of cooked chicken or tuna to the orzo. It’s a great way to use up leftover meat. I added tuna to the leftovers and it was pretty good!
Orzo With Lemon Garlic Parmigiano And Herbs Recipe
Recipe adapted from Fine Cooking
3 tbs fresh lemon juice
3 medium cloves garlic, finely chopped
kosher salt
3 cups low-low salt chicken broth
5 tbs unsalted butter, cut into 5 pieces
1 lb. orzo
1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano; more for sprinkling
1/4 cup chopped fresh flat leaf parsley
2 tsp. fresh thyme leaves, lightly chopped
Freshly ground black pepper
1. Combine the lemon juice, garlic and a generous pinch of salt in a small bowl and set aside.
2. Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil over high heat.
3. Meanwhile, put the chicken broth in a medium (3 qt) saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Boil until the broth has reduced to 1 cup, 20 to 30 minutes.
4. Reduce the heat to low. Add the lemon-garlic mixture and whisk in the butter one piece at a time. Keep warm.
5. Cook the orzo in the boiling water until barely al dente, about 8 minutes. Drain and immediately toss with the broth mixture.
6. Add the 1/2 cup parmigiano and the parsley and thyme. Season to taste with salt and pepper and toss well to combine.
7. Serve immediately, sprinkled with additional parmigiano.
This orzo looks delicious. I make it with tomato sauce, my son eats it like crazy.