Orzo with Peas and Mint
By America's Test KitchenPublished on November 7, 2011
Time
55 minutes
Yield
Serves 6 to 8
Ingredients
1 pound orzo 2 tablespoons unsalted butter 1 onion, chopped fine2 garlic cloves, minced3 ½ cups low-sodium chicken broth ½ cup white wine Salt and pepper 1 ½ cups frozen peas 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh mint leaves 2 teaspoons lemon zest 2 teaspoons juice from 1 lemon
Before You Begin
In step 1, watch the orzo closely toward the end of the toasting time—it can quickly go from browned to burnt. Be sure to use low-sodium chicken broth or the dish will be too salty.
Instructions
- PREPARE ORZO Toast orzo in large skillet over medium heat, stirring frequently, until golden brown, about 8 minutes; transfer to bowl. Melt butter in empty skillet. Cook onion until softened, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
- SIMMER Add broth, wine, toasted orzo, and ¾ teaspoon salt to pan and bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring every 5 minutes until liquid has been absorbed and orzo is tender, about 15 minutes. Stir in peas, mint, lemon zest, and lemon juice and cook until heated through, about 1 minute. Season with salt and pepper. Serve.
Time
55 minutesYield
Serves 6 to 8Ingredients
Ingredients
Ingredients
Why This Recipe Works
To get the flavor we wanted in our Orzo with Peas and Mint recipe, we toasted the orzo in a dry skillet. After a few minutes, the orzo turned an even golden brown. To build flavor, we cooked the toasted orzo in chicken broth and added a bit of white wine instead of water. Stirring with restraint was the key in this recipe—too much stirring released the starch in the orzo, which made for a sticky, heavy dish.
This is a members' feature.
2 Comments