Butternut Orzotto Recipes

Steps:

• Place squash in a greased 15x10x1-in. baking pan. Drizzle with oil; sprinkle with salt and 1/8 teaspoon pepper. Bake at 400° for 15-20 minutes or until tender, stirring occasionally., Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, heat broth and keep warm. In a large nonstick skillet, saute onion in butter until tender. Add orzo and garlic; cook and stir for 2-3 minutes. Carefully stir in 1 cup warm broth. Cook and stir until all of the liquid is absorbed., Add remaining broth, 1/2 cup at a time, stirring constantly. Allow the liquid to absorb between additions. Cook until risotto is creamy and orzo is almost tender. (Cooking time is about 20 minutes.) Add the herbs, cooked squash and remaining pepper; heat through. Garnish with cheese if desired; serve immediately.

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a saucepan over medium heat until hot, then add the green onions and saute until softened, about a minute. Add the garlic and chile flakes and saute for 30 seconds.
• Add the orzo, salt and pepper to the pan and toss to coat the grains, a minute or two. Add the warmed broth and gently stir. Allow the broth to come to a simmer, then cook for 5 minutes.
• Add the asparagus, broccolini, zucchini and peas. Stir and cook for another 2 minutes. Add the kale, Parmesan and lemon zest and give it a good stir, then allow to cook for another 2 minutes.
• Add the herbs and stir to combine. Serve in bowls topped with Parmesan and additional herbs.

Steps:

• In a heavy-bottomed medium saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion and saute until fragrant and translucent. Add the orzo and toast for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the wine and cook until absorbed.
• Gradually add the chicken stock, stirring frequently. Bring to a simmer, lower the heat, and cover. Cook for 8 to 10 minutes, until the liquid is almost absorbed and orzo is tender. Remove from the heat.
• Stir in peas, Parmesan, fresh basil, lemon zest, heavy cream, and lemon juice. Season the orzo with salt and pepper, to taste, and serve.

Steps:

• Soak the 100g walnuts in water overnight. Strain through a sieve, put in a pan and cover with 300ml water. Bring to the boil, then simmer for 15 mins. Strain again, return to the pan with the stock and bring to the boil. Pour into a blender, blend on medium for 5 mins, then strain back into the pan. Set aside until step 4.
• Make the sauce: soften the shallot in the oil over a gentle heat for 10 mins. Stir in the spices and stock, increase the heat and reduce by three-quarters. Pour in the Port and gently simmer for 20 mins. Strain into a clean pan and reduce over a high heat until thickened, about 10 mins. Set aside. Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6.
• For the squash, heat the butter in an ovenproof pan. Fry the squash for 3-4 mins, then stir in the walnuts with the cinnamon, sugar and a pinch of salt. Roast for 15-20 mins or until tender. Keep warm.
• Meanwhile, make the orzotto. Warm the walnut stock. Heat the oil and 25g butter in a large, deep pan, add the shallots and soften for 10 mins, but don't colour. Stir in the garlic and cook 3-4 mins more. Remove from the pan, set aside, then wipe the pan clean. Increase the heat, tip in the barley and toast for 2-3 mins, keeping it moving so it doesn't burn. Quickly stir the shallots and garlic back into the pan with the barley, then pour in the Champagne. Stir well and add a ladleful of warm walnut stock. Lower the heat a little and keep adding stock when the orzotto looks 'thirsty', stirring occasionally to prevent it from sticking to the pan. (You'll need about 500ml stock in total. Make up the amount with vegetable stock if necessary.) Cook until the barley is tender - 35-40 mins (you have a lot more grace with this than with rice, as it retains its bite for longer).
• When cooked, add another half ladle of stock (to stop the orzotto from thickening as it cools), then stir in the stilton and a knob of butter. Stir and season, remembering stilton can be very salty.
• To serve, reheat the sauce, adding a little more Port if it is too thick, then stir in the redcurrant jelly until dissolved and finish with the butter. Spoon some sauce over each plate and top with a few spoonfuls of orzotto. Garnish with the roasted squash and walnut halves, a few small pieces of stilton and leaves.

Steps:

• Put the pancetta in a large, deep frying pan over a medium-high heat and fry until crisp and golden. Remove from the pan with a slotted spoon, transfer to a plate and set aside. Reduce the heat, add the onion along with a pinch of salt and fry in any leftover fat for 5 mins. Add the garlic and continue to fry for a further 3 mins.
• Increase the heat and stir in the orzo. Fry for 2 mins, stirring constantly, then pour in 500ml stock and bring to a simmer. Add more stock by the ladleful, stirring constantly, as the orzo absorbs the liquid (similar to cooking a risotto).
• After 5 mins, stir in the petit pois and bring the mixture to a simmer. Continue to add the remaining stock, stirring, as the mixture cooks. Simmer for 10 minutes, or until the orzo is cooked through. Add the lemon zest and juice, basil, parmesan and fried pancetta. Season to taste, then cover and leave to rest for 2 mins. Serve with extra parmesan sprinkled over the top.