Mediterranean Orzo with Hazelnut Pesto Greens.
This is a simple dinner that’s absolutely bursting with flavours. Nothing screams summer more for me than the flavours of the mediterranean! The leftovers are just as good, too…
This recipe is part of an ‘Al Fresco Summer Dinner Party’ series, and serves 4 people.
Ingredients.
300g orzo, like this one
1 litre vegetable stock
500g cherry tomatoes
300g mix of olives, semi-dried tomatoes & artichokes, for ease I recommend using 2 pots of an antipasti mix like this one from Sainsburys
Roughly 30g basil, 10g for the orzo, 20g for the pesto
30g hazelnuts, save a few for serving
5 garlic cloves, 1 for pesto, 4 for orzo
1 lemon, zest only
Olive oil, a few tablespoons
150g green beans
150g tenderstem broccoli
150-200g mascarpone cheese, to serve
Equipment.
sharp knife & chopping board
oven-proof pan with lid
medium saucepan
small frying pan
sieve/strainer
medium bowl
zester/fine grater
pestle & mortar/food processor/blender
Method.
Fill & boil the kettle, and pre-heat the oven to 250c
Place the cherry tomatoes in a oven-proof pan. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt, then put in the oven (lid off) for 15mins
Meanwhile, use the boiled kettle to make 1l vegetable stock, then re-fill the kettle and put it back on again. Check the packet instructions, but you will typically need at least 2 stock cubes for this (1 cube per 500ml)
While the tomatoes are roasting, make the hazelnut pesto: in a pestle & mortar/food processor, grind the hazelnuts, garlic, zest of half a lemon, and a pinch of salt to a coarse paste. Then add 20g of the fresh basil (leaves only) and about 2-3tbsp olive oil, and continue to grind until you have a coarse pesto consistency
After 15 mins, remove the tomatoes from the oven and place the pan on the hob. Add the orzo and about 750ml stock, stirring whilst you bring it up to a simmer
Add the (drained) antipasti mix, and continue to simmer for around 8-10mins, until the orzo is just cooked. Stir constantly and add more stock when needed to maintain a loose, risotto-like consistency. You may not need the full litre
Meanwhile, fill another pan with boiling water, season with salt, and bring to a simmer on the hob. Add the tenderstem broccoli, then after about 1min add the green beans too and boil for around 3-4 mins or until just cooked
Drain the vegetables and return to the pan, stirring through the hazelnut pesto
Now you can plate up: Ladle the cooked orzo onto a large serving platter, and spoon over some mascarpone cheese. Top with the remaining fresh basil, roughly chopped. Transfer the greens to a smaller serving dish and top with some more lemon zest and chopped hazelnuts
