Zucchini Orzo Food

BAKED ORZO WITH TOMATOES, ROASTED PEPPERS AND ZUCCHINI

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil, and add the orzo. Cook eight minutes, or until it is cooked through but still firm to the bite. Drain and transfer to a large bowl. Toss with the diced roasted pepper and 1 tablespoon of the olive oil.
• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Oil a 2-quart baking dish. Heat another tablespoon of olive oil over medium-high heat in a large, wide skillet. Add the zucchini and cook - stirring and turning over the slices, or tossing them in the pan - until just cooked through and lightly colored, about five minutes. Scrape into the bowl with the orzo.
• Return the pan to the heat, add the final tablespoon of oil and the garlic. Cook just until fragrant, 20 to 30 seconds, and add the tomatoes and salt to taste. Cook, stirring from time to time, until the tomatoes have cooked down slightly and smell fragrant. Taste and adjust seasoning. Scrape into the bowl with the orzo, add the Parmesan or goat cheese, and mix everything together. Add freshly ground pepper to taste, and adjust salt. Transfer to the baking dish.
• Bake 30 to 40 minutes, until the top is just beginning to color. Serve hot or warm.

ORZO AND ZUCCHINI SALAD

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook orzo in the boiling water, stirring occasionally until cooked through but firm to the bite, about 11 minutes. Drain and spread onto a rimmed baking sheet to cool completely.
• Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat; cook and stir zucchini and garlic in the hot oil until slightly tender, 4 to 6 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
• Mix orzo, zucchini mixture, basil, vinegar, and remaining 1 teaspoon olive oil in a bowl; season with salt and pepper. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate to blend flavors, 1 hour to 1 day. Bring to room temperature before serving.

ZUCCHINI AND GROUND BEEF ORZO CASSEROLE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F. Spray 8-inch square (2-quart) glass baking dish with cooking spray. Cook and drain pasta as directed on package.
• In 12-inch nonstick skillet, heat 1 teaspoon of the oil over medium heat. Cook squash, Italian seasoning and 1/4 teaspoon of the salt in oil 4 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until squash has started to soften but is still crisp-tender. Transfer to large bowl; stir together with orzo.
• In same skillet, heat remaining 1 teaspoon oil over medium-high heat. Cook beef, onion, garlic and remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt in oil 7 to 8 minutes, stirring frequently, until thoroughly cooked; drain, and add to bowl with squash. Add crushed tomatoes, 3/4 cup of the mozzarella cheese, the ricotta cheese, Parmesan cheese, basil, thyme and pepper flakes; stir to combine. Spoon mixture into baking dish.
• Bake 35 to 40 minutes or until bubbling on edges and completely heated through. Top with remaining 1/4 cup mozzarella cheese; let stand 5 minutes.

PORK AND ZUCCHINI WITH ORZO

Steps:

• Bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil. Butterfly the pork: Slice lengthwise down the center, stopping about 1/2 inch before cutting through the meat. Open the pork like a book and flatten slightly with your hands. Lay a piece of plastic wrap on top and pound with the flat side of a meat mallet or a skillet until 1/2 inch thick.
• Put the pork and zucchini in a large bowl. Add 2 tablespoons olive oil, the lemon zest, cumin, coriander, 1 teaspoon salt and the cayenne and toss; let sit 10 minutes.
• Meanwhile, add the orzo to the boiling water and cook as the label directs. Drain and rinse under cold water. Transfer to a bowl; add the tomatoes, parsley, lemon juice, the remaining 1 tablespoon oil and 1/4 teaspoon salt; toss.
• Preheat a grill or grill pan to medium high. Grill the pork and zucchini, flipping once, until the pork is cooked through and the zucchini is tender, about 12 minutes for the pork and 14 minutes for the zucchini. Slice the pork on an angle and serve with the zucchini, orzo and lemon wedges.

ZUCCHINI ORZO

Steps:

• Fill a large pot with lightly salted water and bring to a rolling boil over high heat. Once the water is boiling, stir in the orzo and lemon juice, and return to a boil. Cook the pasta uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the pasta has cooked through, but is still firm to the bite, about 10 minutes. Drain well in a colander set in the sink. Transfer the orzo to a large saucepan.
• Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat, and cook the sweet onion and green onion until the onion is translucent, about 5 minutes; stir in the zucchini and squash, and cook until the squash are tender, about 15 minutes. Stir the cooked vegetables into the orzo; season with parsley, salt, and black pepper to serve.

DISAPPEARING ZUCCHINI ORZO

Steps:

• Bring 6 cups of chicken stock or salted water to a boil.
• Add orzo and cook for 8-12 minutes. Drain.
• Use a cheese grater or mandolin to shred zucchini.
• Saute zucchini in oil briefly with chopped onion and garlic until lightly golden.
• Add thyme and oregano to zucchini mixture and stir thoroughly.
• Remove from heat.
• Combine with cheese and cooked orzo. Salt and pepper to taste.
• Serve cool or at room temperature.

ORZO AND ZUCCHINI SALAD

Steps:

• In a medium pot of boiling salted water, cook orzo until al dente, according to package instructions. Drain well. Spread on a rimmed baking sheet to cool completely.
• In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium. Add zucchini and garlic; season with salt and pepper. Cook, tossing occasionally, until crisp-tender, 4 to 6 minutes.
• Transfer orzo to a medium bowl; add zucchini mixture, basil, vinegar, and remaining teaspoon oil. Season with salt and pepper; toss to combine.

ORZO WITH ZUCCHINI AND FETA

Steps:

• Cook orzo according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a small microwave-safe bowl, combine zucchini and water. Cover and cook on high for 1 minute or until crisp-tender; drain. , Drain orzo; place in a large bowl. Add the zucchini, feta cheese, oil, oregano, salt and pepper; toss to coat. Serve warm or chilled.

ORZO TOMATO SALAD

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 300°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Arrange tomatoes, cut sides up, in a single layer on baking sheet. Drizzle evenly with 1 tablespoon oil and sprinkle with ½ teaspoon salt. Roast for 1 hour. Let cool for 30 minutes.
• While tomatoes cool, bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil. Add pasta; cook until al dente, about 9 minutes. Drain; transfer to a large bowl.
• While pasta cooks, whisk vinegar, mustard, honey, and remaining 1 teaspoon salt in a small bowl. Slowly add 5 tablespoons oil, whisking constantly to combine.
• Stir half of vinaigrette (about ¼ cup) into hot pasta in bowl. Let pasta mixture cool, stirring occasionally, until room temperature, about 30 minutes.
• Add remaining vinaigrette to pasta mixture. Stir in ½ cup cheese, roasted tomatoes, parsley, and pine nuts. Transfer to a platter. Sprinkle with remaining ¼ cup cheese, drizzle with remaining 2 tablespoons oil, and top with parsley. This crowd-pleaser makes the most of the season's colorful, juicy tomatoes. Roast them low and slow to concentrate their flavor.

BASIL ZUCCHINI ORZO SALAD

Steps:

• Sprinkle zucchini with salt in a colander and toss (this allows the zucchini to"sweat" out excess water); let stand for 30 minutes, stirring once or twice, then remove and gently squeeze liquid from zucchini.
• In a food processor whir together the basil leaves, oil, garlic, and oregano until well incorporated.
• Place mixture in a large bowl and stir together with the zucchini and set aside.
• In a large pot over high heat, bring the chicken broth to a boil; add orzo and reduce the heat to medium, cooking until orzo is just tender, about 10-12 minutes; drain the pasta well.
• Stir the pasta into the zucchini mixture, then add the lemon juice, grated cheese, and fresh parsley.
• Season to taste with salt and pepper.
• Chill for at least an hour before serving as a salad, or serve warm at room temperature as a dinner side dish.
• Makes about 8 servings.

ZUCCHINI LEMON ORZO

Steps:

• In the bottom of a large bowl, combine the scallions, garlic, olive oil, sherry vinegar, herbs de Provence and ¼ teaspoon of salt.
• Bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil. Prepare the pasta according to the instructions on the package, cooking until al dente. Drain and immediately add the hot orzo to the bowl. Stir in the lemon zest and set aside.
• Preheat a grill to high heat.
• Drizzle the eggplant and zucchini with olive oil on all sides, and sprinkle with ¼ teaspoon of salt and a few grinds of pepper.
• Grill the eggplant for 4 to 5 minutes per side, or until tender and charred, and the zucchini for 4 minutes per side, or until nice char marks form. Let cool slightly, then chop and add to the large bowl. Add the lemon juice and toss. Stir in the feta, herbs, and pine nuts, reserving a bit of each for garnish. Taste and adjust seasonings.
• Portion into 4 serving bowls and top with the breadcrumbs and remaining feta, herbs and pine nuts. Serve with lemon wedges on the side.

ORZO WITH ZUCCHINI

Steps:

• Bring a medium saucepan of salted water to a boil. Stir in the orzo and cook according to package directions for al dente; drain.
• Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the scallion whites and zucchini; cook, stirring occasionally, until the zucchini is tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in the orzo, scallion greens, parsley, mint and 1 cup water. Simmer, uncovered, until the mixture thickens slightly, about 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Top with the feta.