Summer Vegetable ‘Orzotto’

It hasn’t been ‘August’ hot out since last Sunday – and the 10-day forecast is showing us high seventies (with the exception of 84 degrees tomorrow) for the rest of the month.

As much as the heat in the city becomes intolerable, it feels like the summer has come to an abrupt end and the winds from Hurricane Erin are making these days feel like fall, I’m feeling a bit blue because summer shouldn’t be over yet. I’m sure we’ll get hit with some more high heats before September ends, but right now I’m craving something that taste like summer.

Last year I made a summer vegetable orzo, but I’m not sure where I found the recipe. For today’s post, I’m using NYT’s Kayla Hoang’s Burst Cherry Tomato Orzotto recipe, but I added one zucchini and an ear of corn to embrace some of our summer vegetables. The lemon and basil called for at the end of this recipe give this comforting ‘orzotto’ (cooking this orzo risotto style!) a summer freshness that you can’t beat.

Let’s dive in:

Ingredients (4-6 servings):

• 3 tablespoons olive oil 
• 1 large shallot, chopped (about ⅓ cup)
• Salt 
• 1 tablespoon grated garlic, from 3 to 4 large cloves
• ¼ to ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper 
• 1 ½ pounds cherry tomatoes 
• 1 cup tightly packed fresh basil leaves, roughly chopped, plus 1 sprig 
• 1 pound orzo 
• 1 quart (4 cups) low-sodium vegetable or chicken broth
• ⅔ cup grated Parmesan, plus more for serving
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter 
• 1 ½ teaspoons fresh lemon juice

Directions:

1. Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat for about 30 seconds. Add the shallot [and zucchini] and 1 teaspoon salt and cook, stirring often, until the shallot is translucent and fragrant, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the garlic and crushed red pepper and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 30 seconds more.
2. Add the tomatoes, basil sprig and 1¼ cups water and cover the pot. Increase the heat to medium-high and let cook, covered, until the tomatoes are very soft and easily burst when pressed with a wooden spoon or spatula, about 8 minutes.
3. Use the back of a wooden spoon or spatula to press the tomatoes against the side of the pot until all the tomatoes are broken down. Adjust the heat as needed to maintain a steady yet gentle boil.
4. Cover and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until the tomato liquid has thickened, slightly deepened in color and reduced by about half, 6 to 10 minutes. The mixture will go from very brothy to a tomato soup-like texture.
5. Stir in the [corn,] orzo, broth and ¼ teaspoon salt and bring to a boil over high heat, 4 to 5 minutes. Lower the heat to maintain a simmer and cook, stirring every minute or two and making sure to scrape the bottom of the pot to prevent sticking, until the orzo is tender and saucy, 9 to 10 minutes more.
6. Remove the pot from the heat and discard the basil sprig. Stir in the Parmesan, butter, lemon juice and chopped basil until silky and evenly combined. Season to taste with salt as needed. Serve immediately, topped with more Parmesan as desired.

I will make this every summer for the rest of my life. Creamy, herby, tomato-y, rissotto-y. All in one pot too! This recipe stays well as the orzo takes on more flavor over time. You can see I made the whole recipe and I’m stoked to have leftovers for the week.

Something that I find challenging when choosing recipes is finding one that will make good leftovers. Cooking for one is tough, and if you’re making something it’s ideal if the leftovers keep well. As much as I love the freedom to cook what I want when I want, I honestly constantly find myself kinda bummed out wishing that I could share these meals with another person. When I see my parents I love to cook for them (in their big kitchen!) and share these meals and that’s something I look forward to.

Now for the review:

Love. I recommend to anyone and everyone. You can use whatever vegetables you want. Make this!!! Honestly now that I think of it, this would be perfect for winter too if you’re missing summer.

Taste: 10/10. Wouldn’t change a damn thing.

Difficulty: 1/10. As long as you prep beforehand, this comes together seamlessly in one pot! Just remember to keep stirring the orzo so it doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pan.

Price: 1/10. This is a super affordable recipe and it yields a large serving.

Enjoy 🙂

-M3