Asparagus orzotto

Have you ever tried cooking pasta risotto-style? You start with your chosen sauce or vegetable in a large pan, then add the pasta. Then you merely add water or broth in small increments, stirring every so often, until the pasta is done. The starch surrounding the pasta combines with the liquid you've chosen to create a creamy sauce. I know this may sound heretical but I discovered this method in an Alain Ducasse recipe (which, by the way, is scrumptious and I promise to share with you). And if it's good enough for Alain Ducasse then it's definitely good enough for me.

We used this method (with delightful results) to cook up an asparagus "orzotto" tonight. You simply saute asparagus with a few aromatics (onion and rosemary, in our case but this recipe welcomes substitutions such as thyme, red pepper, shallots, etc) then pour in a bag of orzo and pretend you are making risotto. Although we are a risotto-loving household, orzotto wins points for speed (done in less than 15 minutes!). It reheats beautifully in case you're looking for leftovers.


Asparagus Orzotto
If you want to make asparagus risotto instead, simply subsitute 2 cups of carnaroli or arborio rice for the orzo. Your cooking time will be closer to 20 minutes. Rest assured that risotto or orzotto (in the case of a vegetable-based dish; not so sure if you were going to make a risotto alla milanese) really can be made with water instead of broth.

1 1/2 bunches asparagus
2T olive oil
1 small onion, minced or sliced thinly
2 sprigs either thyme or rosemary
2 cloves garlic, sliced
Pinch of red pepper flakes
1 lb orzo
optional - 1/4 cup of white wine or the juice of 1 lemon + the zest of that lemon
1/2 cup parmesan cheese
2-4 T Greek yogurt or creme fraiche (we prefer the yogurt)
Water (or broth) - you'll need 6-8 cups.
2T finely chopped parsley
Salt, pepper to taste

Start heating a small pot full of water or broth. Rinse off the asparagus spears and snap off the ends. Cut into 1/2 inch pieces. Set aside.

In a large saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium-low heat. When hot, add the onions, herbs, garlic and red pepper flakes as well as about 1 tsp of salt. Saute, stirring frequently, until the onions are soft.

Add the orzo and stir for a few minutes to toast the pasta (just 2-3 minutes). Do not brown. At this point, you can add the optional white wine or citrus juice. Stir to evaporate all of the liquid.

Add the asparagus pieces and 1 cup of water. Crank up the heat to high and stir. From now on, keep a close eye on the pot. Add liquid as necessary to keep the orzo surrounded by a small amount of liquid at all times; don't let it dry out. I usually add a cup of liquid every 3-5 minutes and stir pretty frequently.

Orzo usually cooks in about 10-12 minutes. Start tasting around 9 minutes. It should be just tender (not mushy). When the orzo is done, take it off the heat. Stir in the cheese, yogurt or creme fraiche and parsley. Taste for salt, grind pepper over the top and serve.