10 posts tagged “orzo”
Well, we're back. We had a great time visiting family in Michigan and I ate my weight in Greek desserts (and lamb and potatoes and tzatziki and bread and...). Calorically speaking, the last 5 days didn't happen ;)
As a result of being out of town, we came home to a pretty empty kitchen. We won't be getting groceries until later tonight so in the meantime, I had to make due with what I had around. Frozen shrimp is one of the greatest things for those kinds of nights. You can cook it from frozen or just thaw it under some cold water for a few minutes. And there you go, you have a lean protein that is great in pasta or rice, grilled, in tacos, whatever you want.
A while back I came across two recipes for shrimp baked with feta and below is my version of this dish, made a little more Greek with the use of hilopites. Normally, I would make this with fresh basil and parsley but we didn't have any around. I did have the chopped/frozen basil from Trader Joe's, though, so I actually used a couple cubes of that.
This is a really simple, delicious and healthy dish. Hey, it won't erase the diples from the past weekend, but it will still make you feel great.
Baked Shrimp and Feta Pasta
Serves 2
1/2 lb. raw shrimp, peeled and deveined
1/2 cup hilopites (or orzo)
2 tsp. olive oil
1 small onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp. dried oregano
1/8 tsp. red pepper flakes
1/2 tsp. dried basil (I used 2 of the fresh/frozen TJ's cubes)
1/4 cup white wine
1 (14 oz.) can diced tomatoes
1/4 cup feta, crumbled
salt and pepper
Bring a pot of water to a boil and cook hilopites until just al dente (won't take long at all for such a small pasta). Drain.
Meanwhile, in a skillet or a small dutch oven, heat the olive oil until shimmering and then add the onions and cook until transulent. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant. Then, add the white wine and reduce by half. Stir in the tomatoes, oregano, red pepper flakes, basil, and salt and pepper. Simmer for a few minutes to combine the flavors.
Off the heat, stir in the shrimp and the hilopites. Move the mixture to a small baking dish (unless you are using a dutch oven; if so just keep it like that) and top with the feta. Bake about 10-12 minutes or until the shrimp has cooked through.
Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 422 / Fat: 11g / Carbs: 46g / Protein: 28g
A few weeks ago, I went to Greektown with my friend for dinner. I was meeting her there and was a little early, so I decided to duck into the Greek market. I hardly ever go there because it's really out of the way and it always seems to be closed when I'm in the area. Whenever I go, I tend to stock up on...well, cheese, primarily. (And, shh, don't tell but I prefer the Bulgarian feta to the Greek kind).
At any rate, when I was browsing the aisles for long, tubular noodles for making pastitsio, I came across hilopites and just about ran up to the clerk to hug him. I had never seen them there before, and I have been wanting (and searching for) hilopites for a while now. Hilopites are small, square egg noodles. When I was young, about 90% of my diet consisted of things with hilopites and soups made with fithe (or is it fide? Or...I can never type Greek words in English. But, it's similar to vermicelli.)
Hilopites are just one of those things that are so nostalgic for me. To be honest, more than anything, they bring back memories of what a picky eater I was. I remember visiting Greece and begging my great aunt to make me plain broth with fide or hilopites every day I was there. I probably haven't eaten them in a good 15 years. So maybe now you understand why I was SO excited to find them!
This recipe is really nothing new. It's similar to my manestra but with a little added spice. I make something like this very often, both with beef and with chicken (dark meat). Sometimes I just serve the sauce over spaghetti instead of cooking pasta along with the meat. Sometimes I use allspice and bay instead of cinnamon and cloves. But I always top it with myzithra :)
You'll have to excuse the monotone picture, here. I forgot to put the extra parsley on before photographing!
Beef with Hilopites
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 lb. beef, cut into 1" pieces
1 onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tbsp. dried or about 3 Tbsp. fresh parsley
3 Tbsp. tomato paste
3 cups water
1/4 heaping tsp. cinnamon
1/8 tsp. ground cloves
1/2 lb. hilopites
salt and pepper
Heat olive oil in a deep saute pan. Season the beef with salt and pepper and then add to the oil to brown, in batches if necessary. Remove with a slotted spoon.
Add the onion to the pan and cook until translucent. Stir in the garlic and parsley (if you are using dried) and saute an additional minute before adding the tomato paste. Cook off the tomato paste for about 30 seconds, and then add the water. Be sure to scrape all the browned bits off the bottom of the pan. Add the cinnamon, cloves, and salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a boil and then add the beef back in. Reduce the heat and simmer, covered, for about an hour or really as long as you'd like (the longer you simmer, the more tender the beef gets).
Add the hilopites and simmer, uncovered, until done, stirring occasionally. If you are using fresh parsley add it around the same time as you add the hilopites.
Many, many months ago, Tom and I had dinner at copperblue. I ordered beef tenderloin and it was accompanied by this great orzo side dish that serves as the inspiration for this blog entry. Their orzo had pancetta, swiss chard and cardoons. Again, I ask you, can you ever go wrong with any form of bacon? That's a resounding No. The one and only time I've ever eaten (or seen) a cardoon was on my plate at copperblue. Obviously, cardoon stalks are not terribly popular at my grocery store. But, they are related to the artichoke, so I decided to use artichoke hearts in my orzo dish, as well as make a few additional changes to suit the orzo to our tastes (and what I had on hand).
This was a really simple dish that we both enjoyed. I am submitting this over to Ruth for Presto Pasta Night.
Orzo with Pancetta, Swiss Chard and Roasted Artichoke Hearts
1 cup artichoke hearts (fresh, jarred and drained, or frozen and thawed)
1/2 Tbsp. olive oil and a little extra for the artichokes
1/4 lb. pancetta, chopped
1/2 onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup white wine (I used pinot grigio)
1 2/3 cup chicken broth
1 cup orzo
3 cups swiss chard, chopped
salt and pepper
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and line a baking sheet with foil. Toss the artichoke hearts with a little olive oil and salt and pepper. Roast them for about 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, heat a skillet or saute pan, and then add the oil. Add the pancetta, cooking over medium heat until crisp. Remove with a slotted spoon. To the pan, add the chopped onion and saute until tender. Stir in the garlic and cook until fragrant.
Increase the heat slightly and add the wine. Cook until the wine has almost completely evaporated. Add the chicken broth and bring to a light boil. Stir in the orzo and reduce the heat. Simmer, covered, about 8 minutes or until done. Add the roasted artichokes, pancetta, and swiss chard to the pan. Cover, turn off the heat, and let stand a couple minutes or until the swiss chard wilts. Season to taste.
As I mentioned a while back, while Tom and I were in Seattle, we came across a pasta store in Pike's Place Market called Pappardelle. One of the types of pasta I bought was autumn harvest orzo--a blend of pumpkin, sage & chestnut orzo. If that doesn't say Fall, then I don't know what does.
I decided to use the first bit of that orzo tonight for dinner with some chicken thighs. This was almost like a mock turkey with stuffing...you know, with chicken as turkey and orzo as bread :) The prep and clean up was a lot easier too. This is a one-pot meal.
This orzo was absolutely amazing. With the combination of the chicken, mushrooms and orzo, it was like Thanksgiving on a plate. And for that reason (and because this is significanly lower cal than the typical Thanksgiving on a plate), I am submitting this dish to The Clumsy Cook, who is hosting Blog or Bust #3: a Fall dish that won't make you bust the scale :)
Braised Chicken Thighs with Autumn Harves Orzo, Mushrooms & Walnuts
Serves 2-4
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1/2 onion, diced
4 skinless chicken thighs
4 oz. mushrooms, sliced
1 sprig thyme (or a pinch dried)
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 cup white wine or sherry
1 2/3 cup chicken broth
4 oz. Pappardelle's autumn harvest risotto
1 oz. truffle cheese (optional, but cheese is always encouraged in my book. Parmesan/romano/goat cheese would undoubtedly be great, too)
1 oz. walnuts, toasted and chopped
salt and pepper
In a large (and deep) skillet or saute pan, heat the olive oil. Add the onion and cook until translucent. Sprinkle chicken thighs with salt and pepper and add to the skillet. Brown, about 2 minutes per side. Remove from the pan.
Add mushrooms and thyme to the skillet and cook for about 2 minutes before adding garlic. Stir until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add wine. Cook off about half the liquid.
Add chicken broth and chicken thighs. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat, simmering until chicken is just slightly undercooked.
Add orzo to the pan and cook until done and liquid has been absorbed. Stir in the cheese and the toasted walnuts.
I cannot express how excited I am to be cooking again. Not only because I miss being in the kitchen, but because I am sick of the gut hanging over my pants that has gotten bigger over the past month, thanks to all the junk I have been eating out.
Unfortunately we won't be grocery shopping until tomorrow so it's slim pickins around here as far as food goes. I decided to try out one of the varieties of orzo I got when we were in Seattle's Pike Place Market. I used the supreme orzo, which is flavored with porcini mushroom, roasted red pepper, and saffron. The orzo tasted great and the flavors were subtle, but definitely there. You know when you buy spinach pasta and 99% of the time it tastes like regular ol' pasta? Well, this didn't :)
I debated for a while whether to even use a sauce on the orzo, but I settled on yes so that I could spoon the sauce over some roasted pork tenderloin. I seasoned the tenderloin simply with salt and pepper since I planned on adding sauce to it, seared it to brown on all sides and then finished it off in the oven. I made the sauce in the same skillet I seared the pork, but you don't have to do that if you want to make the sauce on its own. I did it to give it a little more flavor from the browned bits.
I considered making my goat cheese-sundried tomato sauce, but since we have practically no groceries, we had no sundried tomatoes. So, I went with the same idea of that sauce and added walnuts and mushrooms but omitted the tomatoes. This sauce would be more creamy and luxurious with some cream, of course, but I am trying to be a little less of a fatty so I didn't use that. However, pureeing the mixture in a food processor makes it really creamy.
But, I admit the food processing did not produce a sauce that LOOKED very good. But I promise that is TASTED good. :) In retrospect I should I have tossed the orzo with the sauce instead of spooning it on top because it kind of resembled sausage gravy :P
Goat cheese-mushroom-walnut sauce
1/2 Tbsp. butter
1/2 Tbsp. olive oil
1-2 cloves garlic, minced
3 oz. mushrooms, sliced or chopped
1/3 cup toasted and chopped walnuts
2 oz creamy goat cheese
1 cup chicken broth
1/2 cup white wine
salt and pepper to taste
Heat skillet over low-medium heat and add olive oil and butter. Cook mushrooms in skillet with a pinch of salt until they have released their moisture. Add garlic and saute until fragrant.
Stir in chicken broth and wine. Increase heat to medium-high and cook until liquid is reduced by half, about 10 minutes.
Off the heat, stir in walnuts and goat cheese. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
If you want this chunky, it's ready to serve. If you want it a little smoother or creamier, pulse the mixture in a food processor a few times. Reheat in the skillet if necessary.
...but I am not that lame. Or am I?
Anyway, I love orzo. My love affair with orzo started decades ago when my grandmas would cook a dish called arni youvetsi--lamb roasted in the oven with orzo. I mean, what is not to like about a pasta that is shaped like a rice and therefore, as versatile as both pasta and rice?!
Tom and I eat some form of orzo about once a week. That's why I am really surprised that I have never posted my mock risotto in here. Come to think of it, I am really surprised I have never posted any form of risotto in here. Hmm. At any rate, Nikki made something similar the other day so she reminded me that I need to get my version on here. Basically, the orzo replaces the arborrio rice in a risotto and everything else remains the same. So, if you want to turn this into a traditional orzo just use arborrio or any short grained, starchy rice. You may want to add a little more broth, too, if you decided to do that.
Like risotto, my mock version has a million different variations based largely on what I have on hand and/or want to get rid of. Today I made a chicken, mushroom and pea orzott...okay, I can't make myself type it twice. ;)
Chicken, mushroom and pea "risotto"
1/2 Tbsp olive oil
1/2 Tbsp butter
1 shallot, minced
8 oz. mushrooms, quartered
1 clove garlic, minced
4 oz. (about 2/3 cup) uncooked orzo
1/2 cup dry white wine
2-3 cups chicken broth
1 cup cooked chicken, hot and diced (I just panfried in olive oil, seasoned simply with salt and pepper)
1/4 cup frozen peas, thawed
1/4 cup pecorino romano or parmesan reggiano
2 Tbsp chopped fresh basil (or any herb you like--I also really like this with rosemary)
Heat chicken broth in a sauce pan over a low flame, and keep it hot as you are working.
Heat another pan over a low-medium flame. Add in olive oil and butter.
When butter is melted, stir in shallot and mushrooms. Add a pinch of salt and cook until the mushrooms and shallot have sweat out their moisture, about 6 or 7 minutes.
Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
Stir in orzo, coating with the butter/oil and toasting until lightly browned, a couple minutes.
Increase flame to medium or medium-high. Add wine and reduce by half.
Stir in 1 or 2 ladles of chicken broth and allow orzo to absorb the liquid. As the orzo absorbs the liquid, keep adding broth by the ladle, stirring frequently. Add broth until orzo is cooked al dente (there should still be some liquid in the pan; I ended up using right around 2 cups). Season to taste.
Stir in chicken and peas. Remove from heat and stir in basil and cheese.
Well, once again I have no groceries! We are down to pork tenderloin and a huge chicken breast (which I will make for dinner tomorrow). I decided to make a pork tenderloin milanese because I usually have these ingredients on hand. It's easy to make, and I was feeling pretty blah today, so it was a quick but good meal.
I am not much of a pork chop fan, which is why I always make this with tenderloin. While I do think milanese is one of the better ways to make a pork chop, it's a rarity that we have chops in our freezer since I am not crazy about them. Pork tenderloin, however, tends to be a staple in our fridge/freezer.
I have seen milanese served with everything from no sauce to marinara, to a creamy tomato sauce. Sometimes I top it with cheese and sauce and bake it...but then it's really more of a pork parmesan. It's totally up to you. I tend to do a really basic chunky tomato sauce because I feel like too heavy (or too saucy) of a sauce makes the breading on the milanese soggy. I also like it with a flavored starch, like the pecorino romano I made tonight. You will notice the absence of a green veggie, thanks to the high prices my local grocery store has on produce :)
Pork tenderloin milanese with pecorino orzo, serves 4
Pork Tenderloin Milanese
1 pork tenderloin, about 1 lb.
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup bread crumbs
1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan or pecorino
Salt and pepper
Olive oil
This works best if the tenderloin is very cold. Sticking it in the freezer for 10 minutes will help.
Combine the breadcrumbs and the grated cheese in a shallow bowl.
Slice the pork tenderloin into medallions that are approximately 1/2" thick. Pound the medallions until they are about half as thick with a mallet or heavy-bottomed pan or object. Season with salt and pepper.
Dip the thin slices first into the beaten eggs and then into the breadcrumbs/cheese, coating all pieces.
Heat a pan over medium-high heat. Add oil and heat until hot.
Add breaded pork tenderloin to the hot oil and pan-fry until pork is done. This should only take about a minute or two per side since the pork is so thin. Set aside and keep warm.
Tomato Topping
1 can diced tomatoes (or you can be like me and realize 5 minutes before you are making dinner that you are somehow out of diced tomatoes and use whole instead, coring/dicing on your own :)
1 small onion, diced
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
Balsamic vinegar (about 3 Tbsp maybe?)
Basil (fresh is best but dried works)
Salt and pepper
In the same pan you cooked the tenderloin, add the onions to saute until translucent (add more oil if necessary). Add garlic and saute until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
Deglaze the pan with the balsamic vinegar.
Stir in tomatoes and basil, salt and pepper to taste, and simmer (for as long as you want, really). Spoon over the pork tenderloin milanese
Pecorino Orzo
8 oz. orzo
2 Tbsp butter
1 clove garlic, minced
2.5 cups chicken broth
1/4 cup pecorino or parmesan cheese
Heat butter until melted. Add garlic and saute until fragrant.
Stir in orzo and coat in the butter, toasting slightly, for a couple of minutes.
Stir in chicken broth. Bring to a boil, then cover and simmer until done, about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Off the heat, stir in the cheese.
Before I get into an update, I have two quick questions for you savvy vox users:
1. Can you add links to non-vox sites on your side bar? I would love to add links to my favorite food blogs but I don't know how.
2. Can you add a counter to your blog?
If anyone knows the answers to these questions, please enlighten me!
Now, without further ado, I bring you kreas manestra. "Manestra" is basically the Greek word for orzo. Usually when you say you are eating manestra, though, it means orzo cooked with some sort of meat on the stovetop. It can be made with chicken (and I definitely recommend it be a dark meat, bone-in), lamb, or beef. "Youvetsi," on the other hand, is typically a cut of lamb with orzo that is made in the oven instead of a stovetop.
Last night we had manestra with beef or "kreas." We usually have this with chicken, so this is a nice change. The ingredients are really simple and things I always have around, so this often tends to be an end-of-the-grocery-cycle meal
Kreas Manestra
serves 4
olive oil
1 onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 lb. beef, cut into cubes/bite sized pieces (stew meat is fine) or lamb
3 cups water
1/2 can (3oz) tomato paste
8 oz. orzo
salt and pepper
cheese, for topping
Heat the olive oi in a large pan/saute pan. Liberally salt and pepper beef. Add to pan and brown on all sides (add more oil if necessary). Remove and set aside. Add onions to the pan and cook until tender. Stir in garlic and tomato paste. Cook until just fragrant and tomato paste has cooked off a little, about 45 seconds.
Stir in water, being sure to scrape up the browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Bring to a boil, add meat back in and then reduce to a simmer. Salt and pepper to taste.Simmer for an hour or as long as you'd like, to tenderize beef.
Stir in orzo. Cook, uncovered, until orzo is tender and has absorbed almost all of the liquid, stirring occasionally.
Top with grated cheese (the best thing you could do is top it with some myzithra, my favorite Greek cheese by far and the one that goes best on pastas and tomato-based sauces; I also like pecorino with this a lot!)
Originally I had planned on making a piccata or marsala with the chicken breast I had in the fridge but I forgot to go to the grocery store to pick up mushrooms on my way home. I was going to do a basic scallopini but I remembered a recipe I had seen for healthy almond-crusted chicken fingers, so I made those instead. Okay, let's be honest, mine were more like chicken chunks. Anyway, they were GOOD. I made them with romano-basil orzo and roasted asparagus. Not your typical complement to chicken strips but my asparagus was going bad (I know, right? Hard to believe since I use the stuff practically every day) and I had to use up some basil before it, too, went bad.
I halved the recipe but I just used a whole egg rather than wasting 2 yolks. Also, I didn't add any oil to the coating mixture. I did, however, pan fry the strips to brown up before moving them to the oven to finish cooking (so the cooking time was a little less). So, nutritionally, it ended up being about the same--just 142 calories/serving.
For the orzo, I melted a little butter, added 1/2 cup orzo and cooked it a few minutes. Then I added a cup of chicken broth, brought it to a boil, reduced it to a simmer and let it finish cooking (exactly like rice). At the very end I tossed in about 1/4 cup pecorino romano and a tablespoon or two of fresh basil.
This weekend was full of some great, rich, and calorie-loaded food. SO GOOD.
On Saturday, we went with 2 other couples to MK and it was terrific. I got a filet mignon (that was enormous). The filet itself was great, but I wasn't crazy about the red wine syrup on top (a little too sweet). I also sampled some great cow's/sheep's/goat's cheese, peppercorn tuna, lamb, and pommes frites (mmm, my favorite). For dessert, a sticky toffee pudding that was to die for.
Today, we went to Sweets and Savories for brunch. Again, terrific. I had a pancetta risotto, tomato bread soup, a slice of applewood smoked bacon, and a few duck fat pomme frites. The risotto was so creamy and delicious. Le yum.
Needless to say we a) had to eat a bit healthier for dinner and b) couldn't afford to eat out again, anyway. For dinner tonight we had chicken thighs with orzo (kota manestra). It's a dish that Greeks tend to make with lamb, but I rarely buy lamb so I make it with chicken. The dish will vary a lot based on what cut of meat you use, how much orzo you use, etc. You can email me if you want something more specific. The best part of this dish is the orzo. Tom especially loves that part.
The basic gist is:
Chicken (skinless dark meat is best, leg quarters or thighs work well)
Water with tomato paste mixed in (you will need about 2x the amount of orzo you use + 1 cup of water, so if you use 1/2 cup or orzo, add 2 cups of water; you could use broth instead, if you prefer)
diced onion
minced garlic
salt and pepper
olive oil
orzo
Heat the olive oil in a large skillet. Add the onion and cook until translucent. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add salt and pepper to the chicken, then add to the skillet. Brown on both sides.
Add water and tomato paste, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil then reduce heat. Simmer chicken for about 20-30 minutes for thighs and 40-45 minutes for leg quarters.
Add orzo and cook until done.
Top with your favorite grated cheese.
Unfortunately, my camera batteries died before I could get this on a plate!
I have been craving desserts like no other. I am trying REALLY hard to refrain, despite it being the most difficult time of year to do that. All of my pants are getting tight! Ugh.
