Grilled Rosemary Steak served with Orzo and Stuffed Zucchini

Grilled Rosemary Steak served with Orzo and Stuffed Zucchini

Today I'd like to focus on the Orzo as a side dish. The Rosemary Steak recipe is in a previous post(rosemary steak salad)- I happened to use skirt steak last night. The stuffed zuchhini was a new recipe I wanted to try and not everything I hoped it would be. I will be working on a new one and post it once it's perfected! But the Orzo is a delicious mainstay side dish that I've grown up with. We eat it at least once a week. Orzo is simply a small rice sized pasta that most commonly is boiled - which I think is wrong wrong wrong! My mom taught me to make it just like rice, but in a saute pan - letting all the broth absorb. You can do absolutely anything with the orzo to change it up. I like to add shallots, tomatoes, fresh basil, pine nuts and parmesean! You could add mushrooms, rosemary and goat cheese or serve it cold as a greek salad with cucumbers, tomatoes, feta, olives and a vinaigarette. I prefer the Barilla brand of orzo and for some reason San Giorno turns out sticky.

origin - Pat Ann Harris
difficulty - simple

Orzo with Tomatoes, Basil and Pine Nuts

1 cup dried orzo
2 cups chicken broth (or water)
1-2 tbsp butter
1-2 shallots chopped *depending on size (or one small onion)
splash of white wine
1 chopped tomatoe
handful of basil chopped (or 'chiffonade')
1/3 cup pine nuts toasted
1/3 cup shredded parmesean cheese

Saute the shallots and butter in a saute pan over medium heat until softened. Add the uncooked orzo and saute for approximately 3-5 minutes more until the orzo is beginning to brown. Add splash of white wine and wait 1 minute until it begins to evaporate. Add the chicken broth, salt and pepper and reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for about 15 minutes until all liquid has absorbed. Treat it like rice and try not to stir until it's finished. Stir in tomatoe, basil, pine nuts and parmesean cheese and serve.