The best part of making new recipes every week is you can really appreciate when one blows you away. This was the case here. I have used all of the other ingredients before, but one in particular was the star of the show: Pesto!
This week, I found a great recipe from TikTok chef Sam Way @sameats, who has an impressive ability to make recipes with technique and amazing taste. I always appreciate those TikTok chefs who are able to edit their videos so others can follow along, which Way certainly did.
Let’s jump right into the recipe. First, I added butter and olive oil to the pan at medium heat. Then, I chopped up a leek. I sliced it in half the long way, then chopped the short way all the way through. Make sure when prepping the leeks to chop off the ends, the head of the leek and the leaves. Retain the part that is rigid like an onion because here, we will be sautéing it as such.
Add the chopped leeks to the pan and cook them down with garlic for about five minutes. You should hear a nice sizzle when this is happening. Next, add in your orzo. The recipe calls for 300g, but I used closer to 400g-450g. This is not a problem and did not affect the cooking of the orzo.
Now, you can essentially treat this as a risotto when cooking it. While traditional risotto uses rice, orzo is the next best thing, as it is just rice-shaped pasta. It can also work great in soups as a substitute for noodles. Add in your orzo and toast it for about a minute, then add the stock. I added it in thirds, so start with 300mL and stir until it boils out, then the next 300mL and so on. Once you have exhausted your supply of stock, check the orzo and taste to see if the pasta is cooked. If not, add more stock and repeat, adding and checking until it is cooked. The result should be a creamy orzo risotto. Season with 1/8 to 1/4 cup of parmesan cheese and salt and pepper to taste. The risotto pairs well with thyme so add in a dash to your preference.
Now for the star of the recipe: Pesto. I added 60g or three handfuls of basil leaves, 1/4 cup of pine nuts, four tablespoons of olive oil and 1/8 cup of parmesan cheese. This is not on the ingredient list of the TikTok recipe, but I find that mint adds a nice freshness to pesto, so it is not too heavy. Add about five or so mint leaves if you have any. Lastly, add a teaspoon of minced garlic. Blend these up and add salt and pepper to taste.
The pesto can turn out thicker than desired, so to thin it out, just add more olive oil and blend. As you follow recipes, you will often find that even with all of the measured ingredients and all of the steps, you have to play around with the methods. For this recipe, I encourage you to get creative with seasonings and other steps along the way. When the pesto achieves the flavor you like, add all of it to the orzo. Mix it in and you will get this vibrant green dish that looks restaurant quality.
As for your protein, the recipe calls for salmon, but you can use other types of fish or chicken. No protein is also an option, as the orzo is more than enough.
I liked this recipe for a few reasons. First, it was super quick to make. It took roughly thirty minutes to achieve a dish that looked and tasted this good. I also have not made pesto in a while, so it was fun to take a stab at that.
This recipe will certainly impress whoever you make it for, as I know my roommates thoroughly enjoyed it. It comfortably fed four people and was a lot more filling than it looks. There was a perfect balance of comfort and freshness, both from the pasta and the pesto. In the last weeks of the semester, treat yourself and ace this recipe, as I hope you will for all your finals coming up. If that’s not the case, then even use this recipe as a pick-me-up. Hope you all enjoy!
Ingredients:
Orzo:
1 leek
1.5 tsp minced garlic
1 tbsp olive oil
40g butter
300g orzo
900mL chicken stock
1/8 -¼ cup of parmesan cheese
salt/pepper
Pesto:
4-5 leaves of mint
60g basil leaves
¼ cup pine nuts
1 teaspoon minced garlic
Four tablespoons olive oil
1/8 cup parmesan cheese
Salt/pepper
Price: $23.18
Rating: 4.95/5
wow! must try! looks great 😍