9 Tasty Ways To Use Orzo

Wash and peel (where needed) all the vegetables and dice into 2cm cubes.

Add cold water to a large saucepan and add in the diced vegetables, whole peppercorns and the clove. Bring the water and vegetables to the boil to create your stock,
and then continue to cook on a very low heat. This stock will form the backbone of the whole dish.

Add the chicken breasts to the stock and cook for 20 minutes (or until cooked through and tender) before removing and resting them on the side. Continue to cook the stock for a further 30 minutes before straining the liquid to a different pan, keeping the vegetables in a large separate serving dish, make sure to remove the clove and peppercorns here.

Cook the stock for another 30 minutes on the lowest heat possible, and in the meantime prepare 4 deep bowls by placing a spoonful of fresh ricotta at the bottom of each bowl

Shred your chicken breasts and mix the shredded meat with the vegetables in your serving dish, adding salt and extra virgin olive oil to taste. Place the chicken and vegetables in their serving dish at the heart of the table with a large spoon to serve with

Now that your stock is ready, add a pinch of salt and the saffron, and pour in the orzo following packet cooking instructions (reduce cooking time by 2 minutes if you like it al dente)

Once the orzo is ready, portion the pasta using a slotted spoon equally into each bowl on top of your ricotta, then ladle in your stock and grate your pecorino cheese on top, along with another drizzle of olive oil. Spoon the chicken and vegetables into your soup as many times as you like throughout your meal – keep topping it up and enjoy.

Heat the oven to 200°C.

Peel and slice the onion into 8-10 wedges from root to tip. Place on a baking tray, drizzle with oil and season. Place in the oven and roast, stirring the onions until they are soft and lightly charred in places, this should take about half an hour.

While the onions are cooking, prepare the cauliflower. Break into small florets and chop the stalk. Place the cauliflower in a small pan with the cloves of garlic and just cover with the veg stock or oat milk and season generously. Bring to the boil and then turn down to a simmer, stirring occasionally until the cauliflower is very soft – this will take about 15 minutes.

Blend the cauliflower with a stick blender until smooth.

Next, cook the orzo pasta for 8 minutes until al dente, drain and toss with the cauliflower sauce and charred onions and finish with the chopped parsley and a drizzle of olive oil.

Heat an oven to 200°C. Put a large frying pan on a medium to high heat, add the olive oil, onions and carrots, season with salt and pepper and cook for 15 minutes until soft and sweetened. Grate the ginger and the garlic into the pan and add the chermoula and cook for another 2-3 minutes.

Add the stock and bring up to a boil, then pour this into a roasting tray and add the orzo and stir well. Season with salt and pepper, then place the chicken legs on top. Dot the tomatoes around, tucking some of the tomatoes into the chicken and orzo. Bake in the oven for 40 minutes. Add the olives and bake for a further 10 minutes.

Remove from the oven and serve immediately.

Add the olive oil and butter in a large skillet and cook until the butter melts.

Add the onion and garlic and let it cook for about 2 minutes until the onion softens.

Stir in the orzo to the skillet and let it cook for about 2 minutes so that it starts to toast lightly. This will give it a nutty flavour. Season with salt and pepper.

Add the chicken broth and half and half. Bring to a boil, then turn the heat down to a medium-low, cover with a lid and let it cook for 5-6 minutes.

Remove the lid and stir in the parmesan and parsley. Serve

Preheat oven to 180°C.

Roast the peppers on baking tray with olive oil and salt and pepper.

On a separate baking sheet, roast the aubergines with olive oil and salt and pepper. Roast for around 20 minutes or until soft.

Bring a pan of water to the boil and salt generously. When boiling, cook the orzo according to the packed instructions, drain and allow to cool – add some olive to prevent it sticking together.

Once the aubergine is soft, you can make the pesto. In a jug with a stick blender, or Magimix, place the sun-dried tomatoes (and their oil), parmesan, garlic, chopped roasted aubergine, basil and garlic. Taste and season accordingly.

Place the orzo and pesto in a bowl and mix well, add the peppers, olives and some rocket or fresh basil.

Bring a saucepan of water to the boil and add the orzo. Cook according to the instructions on the packet and drain, reserving about half the cooking liquid.

Meanwhile, heat a sauté pan with the olive oil and add the onion, garlic and paprika. Season with salt and cook on a medium heat for about five minutes until soft.

Add the mushrooms, stir well and cook until soft. You could also add a splash of red wine now if you fancy.

Tip in the butter beans and tomato purée then add the orzo with the reserved cooking water. Gently mix all together and cook for a few minutes. Serve with lots of chopped fresh parsley if you have any.

Heat 2 tsp of olive oil in a large non-stick frying pan. Season the chicken and add to the pan, frying until golden all over. Remove with a slotted spoon and set to one side.

Add another 2 tsp of olive oil to the pan and sauté the shallots and garlic for a couple of minutes, until starting to soften. Add the orzo, give it a good stir and then add the stock. Bring to the boil, cover and simmer for 5 minutes.

Add the asparagus, put the lid back on and simmer for another 5 minutes.

Add the lemon juice and zest, cooked chicken and the spinach and cook for a further few minutes until the chicken is cooked through and the spinach is just wilted.

Stir through the parmesan and serve with extra on the side.

Bring a pan of salted water to the boil. Add the pasta and cook according to the packet instructions until al dente.

Meanwhile, warm the oil in a large frying pan over a medium heat and fry the garlic until it begins to colour on the sides. Immediately add the peas and asparagus, a small splash of water and a pinch of salt and cook for a few minutes until the asparagus is tender.

Scoop the avocado out its skin into a bowl, zest over the lemon and mash with a fork. Stir into the veg pan along with the herbs. Squeeze over the lemon juice and season well. Have a taste and adjust the seasoning if needed.

Once the pasta is cooked, drain, reserving a cup of cooking water. Place the vegetable pan back on the heat and stir in the pasta, tossing it in the sauce. Add a few splashes of cooking water until you have a nice smooth sauce. Transfer to plates, zest over more lemon and sprinkle over the pine nuts before serving.

Place a large saucepan on a medium heat. Drizzle in the olive oil and fry the chopped basil stalks, sliced garlic and chilli for a minute or two until golden. Add the vegetable stock and tomatoes and bring to the boil. Season well, then reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes.

Roughly chop the Tenderstem broccoli and olives. When the sauce is ready stir them into the pan, along with the orzo and bring it back to the boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover with a lid and cook for 18-20 minutes, until the orzo is cooked through. When it's ready, taste and tweak the seasoning, drizzle in a little more oil and tear in the reserved basil leaves. Finish with the grated halloumi and serve.