Orzo

Eat Plentiful #7

Feb 23, 2023

The days are getting longer and it feels like winter might behind us! As much as I love those heart warming winter stews, my body is craving something different now.

It’s interesting how our bodies naturally adjust to the seasons. In winter, I really feel the need to nourish my soul with rich food, and I am happy to take on a bit of extra weight. But now that the sun is shining and the temperatures are getting warmer, my body wants something fresher with more delicate flavours.

Every food brings something different to your body. When you eat in season, you are providing your body with what it needs at that time and that’s why seasonality is so important for us. Our ancestors used to live in harmony with the seasons, adjusting lifestyles and diets as the seasons changed around them. We’ve gotten too used to over abundant supermarkets stocked with produce which is neither local or seasonal. Our modern lifestyle makes it too easy to tune out the changing of the seasons and keep plugging away at our everyday life.

Eating what is in season not only means eating a fruit or veg which is at its prime and therefore will taste its best. But it also means you’re making a conscious decision to shape the world our children will be living in, and that doesn’t have a price to it.

Yes it takes a little more time and a little more creativity but it also allows you to enjoy the whole process and connect with nature, your community and the culture you live in. Food for me is the greatest connector of all, in a world where having a deeper connection is what we all thrive for.

So this weeks’ recipes are bringing that much needed light back into our lives, they taste like spring to me! Both recipes I will be sharing today use Orzo. It’s a type of pasta that looks like large grains of rice and if you haven't cooked with it yet, you’re going to become addicted.

Unlike other pastas, you cook it in small amounts of water and don’t drain the water after cooking it. I didn’t use it much before I had Woody and now it is one of the pastas we always have in our cupboards. It was one of the first hard foods he ate. Orzo, is so versatile, easy to play around with and perfect for little ones thanks to its tiny size.

Both dishes are one pan wonders and can be whipped up easily during a busy week night. The first one, I tried last week when we were all a little sick and it really felt so comforting while also bringing much needed light to our bodies.

Easy Orzo Midweek Recipes

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Chicken, orzo & lemon

Makes: 4 adult servings

Prep time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 25 minutes

INGREDIENTS

4 free-range chicken thighs
1 fennel bulb thinly chopped
2 leeks finely chopped
A handful of green olives
250gr orzo
1/2 lemon rind finely chopped
2 garlic bulbs
Dill or paragon
675ml Chicken stock
Creme fraiche
Pinch of salt

INSTRUCTIONS

Heat a drizzle of olive oil in a deep pan and cook the chicken thighs skin down until cripsy and golden. Turn over and cook for a few minutes. Remove from the pan and set aside. Make sure you keep the juices the pan.
In the remaining oil add the lemon rind and garlic and let them infuse for 2mins.
Add the chopped fennel, leeks and garlic to the pan, cook on low heat until soft (5mins)
Stir in the orzo and add the chicken stock, cook on low heat for 5 mins. Put the chicken back in the pan (skin up) with the green olives and cook for a further 3 mins.
Ladle the orzo on your plate, including one chicken thigh, add finely chopped lemon zest and a spoonful of creme fraiche. It should be brothy!
Squeeze lemon juice & herbs

Orzo, tomatoes & spinach