Saffron Orzo With Asparagus Food

ASPARAGUS & MUSHROOM RISOTTO WITH FRESH PARSLEY & LEMON

Steps:

• Place the porcini in a small bowl, just cover with boiling water and leave to rehydrate.
• Peel and finely chop the onion and garlic, then trim and finely chop the celery. Snap off and discard the woody asparagus ends, cut off the tips and roughly chop the stalks. Roughly chop the chestnut mushrooms.
• Heat a splash of oil in a medium pan over a medium-low heat, add the onion, celery and a splash of water, then cook for around 5 minutes, or until softened but not coloured, stirring occasionally.
• Scoop out, finely chop and add the porcini to the pan with the soaking water, leaving any gritty bits behind.
• Bring 600ml of water to the boil in a medium pan, add the stock cube or pot and stir to dissolve. Keep over a low heat.
• Place another pan over a medium heat with a drizzle of oil, then add the garlic, mushrooms and a small pinch of sea salt and black pepper. Cook gently for a few minutes, or until softened.
• Pick and finely chop the parsley leaves, then add the stalks to the stock. Finely grate the cheese.
• Once the vegetables are soft, stir in the rice and and fry for 1 minute until translucent. Pour in the wine (or replace with 50ml stock), and keep stirring until absorbed.
• Turn the heat up to medium, then add a ladleful of hot stock (avoid the parsley stalks!). Keep stirring and adding stock, a ladle at a time, waiting for the rice to soak it all up before adding the next ladleful. Continue until you've added two-thirds of the stock.
• Stir the asparagus and cooked mushrooms into the pan. Keep adding the remaining stock until the rice is just cooked and the risotto is nice and oozy - if you run out of stock, use boiling water.
• Remove from the heat and stir in most of the cheese. Season to taste with salt, pepper and a squeeze of lemon juice, then cover and leave to sit for 2 minutes. Divide between your plates, then serve with the parsley and remaining cheese on top.

LEMON ORZO

Steps:

• Simmer 1 cup orzo in a saucepan with 2 1/2 cups water, 2 tablespoons olive oil, 1 teaspoon dried mint, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon paprika and 2 strips lemon zest, stirring occasionally, until the orzo is tender, 12 to 15 minutes. Let cool slightly. Stir in 2 chopped scallions, the juice of 1 lemon, and salt to taste.

SPICY CHICKEN AND ORZO SKILLET

Steps:

• In 12-inch skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat until hot. Add chicken and garlic; cook and stir 3 minutes. Add carrots and onion; cover and cook 2 to 3 minutes or until vegetables are crisp-tender, stirring once.
• Stir in all remaining ingredients except spinach. Heat to boiling. Reduce heat; cover and simmer 12 to 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until most of liquid is absorbed and orzo is tender.
• Stir in spinach; cover and cook 2 to 3 minutes longer or until spinach is wilted.

SHRIMP SCAMPI WITH ORZO

Steps:

• In a medium bowl, stir together shrimp, 1 tablespoon olive oil, lemon zest, red-pepper flakes, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper and half the garlic. Set aside to marinate. (This step can be done up to 1 hour in advance.)
• Add butter, remaining olive oil and remaining garlic to a medium skillet set over medium heat. When the butter starts to bubble, add the orzo and 1/2 teaspoon salt and cook, stirring often, until the orzo is toasted, about 2 minutes, adjusting the heat as necessary to prevent the garlic from burning. Carefully add the wine - it will bubble - and stir until absorbed, about 1 minute. Stir in water, reduce heat to low, cover, and cook until orzo is al dente, about 12 minutes.
• Add the shrimp in a snug, even layer on top of the orzo, cover, and cook until all the shrimp is pink and cooked through, 2 to 4 minutes. Remove from heat and let sit, covered, 2 minutes.
• Sprinkle with parsley and lemon juice, season with salt and pepper, and serve immediately.

SAFFRON ORZO WITH ASPARAGUS

Steps:

• heat butter in skillet, add orzo and stir.
• add broth and saffron, bring to boil, cover, reduce heat to simmer, cook 8 minutes add asparagus, cover, cook 5 minutes more.
• uncover and simmer until liquid is absorbed.
• stir in parmesan cheese, salt, pepper.
• serve in a bowl garnished with shavings.

LEMON SHRIMP ORZO

Steps:

• In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add onion; cook and stir until crisp-tender, 3-4 minutes. Add garlic; cook 1 minute longer. Stir in broth, orzo and water. Bring to a boil; reduce heat. Simmer, uncovered, until orzo is al dente, 8-10 minutes., Stir in shrimp, arugula, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Cook and stir until shrimp turn pink, 4-5 minutes. Stir in olives. Sprinkle with feta and basil leaves.

SAFFRON ORZO

Steps:

• In a saucepan bring the broth and 1 1/2 cups water to a boil, add the orzo, and boil it for 5 to 7 minutes, or until it is al dente. In a small bowl dissolve the saffron and 1 tablespoon of the hot cooking liquid. Drain the orzo well, return it to the pan, and stir in the saffron mixture, the butter, the Parmesan, and salt and pepper to taste.

SAFFRON ORZO WITH ASPARAGUS AND PROSCIUTTO

Steps:

• Melt 2 tablespoons butter in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add prosciutto and sauté until almost crisp, about 3 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer to paper towels to drain. Melt 2 tablespoons butter in same skillet over high heat. Add orzo; stir 1 minute. Add broth and saffron; bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until orzo begins to soften, stirring occasionally, about 8 minutes. Add asparagus; cover and simmer until tender, about 5 minutes. Uncover; simmer until almost all liquid is absorbed, about 1 minute. Remove from heat. Mix in prosciutto and 1/2 cup grated cheese. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer to large bowl. Garnish with Parmesan shavings.

SAFFRON ORZO

Steps:

• Cook 1 minced shallot in 2 tablespoons olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat until softened, 2 to 3 minutes. Add 1 cup orzo and cook, stirring, until toasted, 3 to 5 minutes. Add 2 cups chicken broth, 1/2 teaspoon each saffron and kosher salt and 2 bay leaves. Bring to a boil, then stir and reduce to a simmer; cover and cook until the orzo is tender, 12 to 15 minutes. Stir in 1 tablespoon butter and season with salt.

PORK TOP LOIN ROAST WITH ASPARAGUS, SPRING ONION AND BUTTER LETTUCE

Steps:

• In a small enameled cast-iron casserole, melt 1 tablespoon butter in 1 tablespoon olive oil. Add pork, season with salt and brown well over medium to medium-high heat, about 10 minutes. Transfer pork to a plate and pour off fat in casserole. Add wine to casserole and boil over high heat, scraping up browned bits. Add bay leaf, thyme, yellow onion and pork. Cover and cook over very low heat, turning once, until an instant-read thermometer inserted in center registers 160 degrees, about 1 hour. Transfer pork to a carving board and let rest at least 10 minutes. Set casserole and its contents aside.
• In a large sauté pan, melt remaining 1 tablespoon butter in remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil. Add pancetta and cook, stirring, over medium heat until lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Stir in spring onion. Add asparagus or snap peas, lettuce and 1/3 cup pork juices from casserole; season with salt. Cover and cook over medium-high heat until asparagus is crisp-tender, about 3 minutes. Uncover and cook until juices thicken. Remove pan from heat and stir in chopped herbs. Season with salt, pepper and lemon juice.
• Bring juices in casserole to a simmer and season with salt and pepper. Thickly slice pork, spoon pan juices over meat and serve with vegetables.

ORZO WITH SAFFRON AND ROMANO CHEESE

Steps:

• *NOTE: for non-alcoholic version, substitute chicken stock for the white wine.
• In a glass measuring cup, combine the saffron threads and 1 cup hot water. Let stand for 20 minutes.
• Meanwhile, in a saute pan over medium heat, heat butter and olive oil. When it is foamy, add shallots and cook until translucent, about 1 minute.
• Stir in orzo, thyme, and lemon peel. Saute the mixture, stirring often until the orzo is golden brown, about 5 minutes. Reduce heat if necessary to avoid burning.
• Pour in chicken stock, wine, and saffron water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to maintain a simmer. Cover and cook until liquid is absorbed and orzo is al dente, about 20 minutes.
• Just before serving, stir in lemon juice, cheese, and salt and pepper to taste. Serve hot.