Toasted Orzo with Kale, Feta, and Radishes

 

After making my first risotto last month, I was inspired to also make my first orzo. I like pasta, but it was unappealing to me to boil the dense grain-like orzo granules in water and drain them, pasta-style. Instead I chose a super tasty-sounding variation from a Cook’s Illustrated cookbook* that I had sitting around: Toasted Orzo!

First you toast the orzo in butter until it’s just started to brown… Sounding tasty yet? Then you pour in chicken or vegetable broth (and white wine), and cook it, risotto-style. Only it’s so much easier than risotto! No constant stirring! Just a little stirring here and there.

All of that free time (10-12 minutes) while I wasn’t stirring the orzo, allowed me to clean up a little while cooking (my favorite OCD habit), and slice the radishes.

Yes, radishes. Do radishes mixed in with kale and lemon sound strange? The idea occurred to me because 1) I had radishes in the fridge to use up, and 2) This recipe starts out with quite a bit of butter, and butter helps to mellow the spicy pungency of radishes. In fact, butter makes radishes taste mild yet still crispy and refreshing.

The lemon gave it a brightness of flavor, and the radishes added a nice crunch and color to the dish. The kale added… kale (need I say more?). And I rounded it all out with a little crumbled feta cheese on top, making it seem a little more Greek, and a little less like the spontaneous random combination it was.

This crazy last-minute kitchen experiment turned out to have “favorite in the weekday menu rotation” written all over it!

* In the spirit of full confession, I acquired my Cook’s Illustrated “The Best Skillet Recipes” cookbook for free, while dumpster diving. And perhaps more to the point, the “Toasted Orzo” variations in this cookbook, which I deviated from completely, include: with peas and parmesan; with fennel, olives and cilantro; and with bacon, scallions, and peas.

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RECIPE:

Toasted Orzo with Kale, Feta, and Radishes
Based on a recipe for Toasted Orzo in: The Best Skillet Recipes (by Cook’s Illustrated/America’s Test Kitchen).

(Serves 5-6)

Ingredients:
~ 1¼ cups dry orzo
~ ½ bunch kale (around 5 oz.), stems removed and roughly chopped
~ 1 lemon (zest and juice)
~ 6-7 radishes, thinly sliced in half-moons
~ 2 cups chicken broth, or vegetable stock
~ 2 Tbsp. butter
~ 2 cloves garlic, minced
~ 1-2 Tbsp. olive oil
~ 6-7 Tbsp. feta cheese, crumbled
OPTIONAL:
~ ⅓ cup dry white wine
~ substitute spinach for kale (no need for olive oil; steams in less time)
~ salt and pepper to taste (but I didn’t use any!)

How to make it:

1. Make the kale: Heat the olive oil in a medium pot. Rinse the chopped kale, but don’t bother patting it dry; transfer the kale to the pot, still coated in a little bit of water (to steam the kale leaves), or if using pre-washed kale, add about ¼ cup of water. Stir to coat the kale with olive oil, then lower the heat and place the lid on the pot. Steam for 10 minutes, covered, stirring once or twice total, then remove from the heat and set aside.

2. Meanwhile, in a large non-stick skillet, or cast iron pan, heat the butter over medium heat. Once the butter is melted, add the minced garlic and sauté, stirring, for 30 seconds, before adding the orzo.

3. Stir to coat the orzo in butter, and continue toasting the orzo over medium heat, stirring continuously, for 5 minutes. After 5 minutes, or once some of the orzo has started to brown, pour in the chicken broth (and optionally, white wine). (Be careful of steam it will create.) Bring the liquid to a boil, then reduce the heat back to medium and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 10-12 minutes, or until all the liquid has been absorbed.

4. Stir in the cooked kale, then remove from the heat. Add the lemon juice and zest, and mix well. Then, gently stir in the radishes.

5. Serve warm in individual bowls with crumbled feta cheese sprinkled on top.

Print this recipe! (PDF)