Orzo With Fennel And Tomato Ragoût Food

TOMATO AND FENNEL ORZO

Steps:

• Bring a large saucepan of salted water to a boil for orzo.
• In a heavy skillet heat oil and butter over moderate heat until hot but not smoking and cook fennel, onion, tomatoes, and tarragon until fennel is tender, about 5 minutes. Season mixture with salt and pepper and keep warm, covered.
• Cook orzo in boiling water until al dente and drain in a colander. In a bowl stir together orzo, fennel mixture, and salt and pepper to taste.

ORZO WITH FENNEL AND TOMATO RAGOûT

Steps:

• 1. Cover sun-dried tomatoes with 3/4 cup boiling water in bowl. Soak 30 minutes. Stir in tomato paste, and set aside. 2. Cook orzo according to package directions; drain, and set aside. 3. Coat Dutch oven with cooking spray, and heat over medium-high heat. Add fennel; top with carrots and onion, and cook 5 minutes without stirring. Stir, and sauté 5 minutes more. Stir in garlic, and cook 30 seconds. Stir in fire-roasted tomatoes, beans, and sun-dried tomato mixture. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer 20 minutes. Serve over orzo.

PAN-SEARED COD WITH CREAMY FENNEL RAGOûT

Steps:

• Cook bacon in a 10- to 12-inch heavy skillet over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until slightly crisp, 6 to 8 minutes. Transfer bacon with a slotted spoon to a bowl. Add 1 tablespoon oil to fat in skillet, then cook fennel with salt and pepper over moderate heat, turning occasionally, until lightly browned, 6 to 8 minutes.
• Add broth, cream, tomatoes, and garlic to fennel and cook, partially covered, over moderately low heat, stirring occasionally, until fennel is tender and cream is slightly thickened, about 20 minutes.
• While fennel cooks, heat remaining 2 tablespoons oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking. Season fillets with salt and pepper, then sauté 4 minutes. Turn over and sauté until just cooked through, about 3 minutes more.
• Stir mustard and bacon into fennel ragout and season with salt and pepper. Serve cod over fennel ragout.

ORZO WITH TOMATOES

Steps:

• Bring water with salt to a boil in a saucepan. Add orzo and cook, stirring, for about 10 minutes or until tender. Do not overcook. Drain.
• Meanwhile, heat oil in a saucepan and add garlic. Cook briefly, stirring; do not brown. Add tomatoes, salt and pepper. Stir and cook for 3 minutes. Add orzo, basil and cheese. Blend well and serve.

CHICKEN, FENNEL AND TOMATO RAGOUT

Steps:

• Trim the green tops off the fennel and reserve. Halve, then quarter the fennel, cut out the core, then cut lengthways into slices.
• Prepare the chicken for cooking by seasoning with salt, pepper, paprika and crushed fennel seed.
• Heat the oil in a large non-stick skillet, add the chicken, then fry quickly until lightly opaque and browned for about 2 minutes. (Note the chicken will not be cooked through.) Add the fennel, onions and garlic, then stir briefly until the fennel has a bit of color - as much from cooking as from taking on the spices from the chicken bites.
• Add in the potatoes, diced roasted tomatoes, broth and a tomato paste, and bring to the boil. Cover and simmer for 15 20 minutes until the potatoes are tender to the fork but not breaking apart.
• Stir in the roasted peppers and heat through.
• Roughly chop the reserved fennel fronds, about 1 tablespoon or so, then sprinkle over the ragout. Serve in shallow bowls or plates with high lips along with crusty bread for mopping up the juices.

TOASTED ORZO WITH SAFFRON AND FENNEL

Steps:

• Soften saffron in 1 tablespoon hot water and set aside.
• Cook onion in oil in a 3-quart heavy saucepan over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 6 minutes. Add orzo and toast, stirring frequently, until fragrant, 2 to 4 minutes.
• Stir in saffron mixture, remaining 2 cups water, and 1 teaspoon salt and simmer, covered, until orzo is just tender and liquid is absorbed, about 12 minutes.
• Sprinkle fennel bulb over orzo and let stand, covered, off heat 5 minutes. Stir fennel bulb into orzo, then serve sprinkled with fennel fronds.