Sunday, April 6, 2008

Primavera Orzo

DISCLAIMER: When I categorize dishes "Vegetarian", I standardize it on the absence of poultry and meat such as chicken, duck, turkey, beef, or pork. I don't consider ingredients such as eggs which come from poultry or seafood vegetarian because I know many vegetarians who eat these ingredients without complaint.

Okay, so this photo doesn't look very appetizing. The colors are rather bland, but it's more flavorful than the image suggests. More importantly, it's such an easy recipe to make that it's worth mentioning. It's light, perfect for lazy days. I don't think I added enough zucchinis and carrots, which I think offers the most amount of flavor along with the curry powder. I also prefer omitting the peas because I think it neutralizes the carrots and zucchinis. This recipe originally came from Rachael Ray's 30 Minute Meals, which I modified.

2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic, chopped
2 small zucchinis, shredded
1 cup shredded carrots
1 tsp curry powder
3 cups chicken stock
1 cup orgo pasta
Salt and pepper to taste

Heat a skillet over medium high heat. Add extra-virgin olive oil, garlic, zucchinis, and carrots. Saute for 5 minutes. Add curry and chicken stock, and bring to a boil. Add orzo, and return to a boil. Cover and reduce heat to medium. Cook, stirring occasionally, until pasta absorbs the liquid, about 10 minutes.

The recipe originally included two shallots, which I omitted because I hate the flavor. It's also only supposed to include one zucchini, chopped, but shredding it intensifies the flavor, so I doubled up. 1/2 cup of Parmigiano-Reggiano and 1 cup of frozen peas is also included at the very end. But my modified recipe is the one I prefer. The photo I took is closest to the original recipe excluding the shallots and 1/2 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano. If you follow my preferred recipe, it's much more appetizing looking and easier, not that the original isn't simple enough. The color contrasts are actually intense and vivid, a deep but bright orange, crisp greens, and a nutty color the orzo offers.

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