Hummingbird Recipe
Springtime Orzo with Zucchini & Asparagus
1 medium zucchini cut on the diagonal into 1/2 inch slices
2-3 cloves garlic, finely chopped (or more to your taste)
.5 lb fresh, medium width asparagus, steamed just to bright green
6 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO)
3-4 tbsp grated parmesan cheese, plus extra to finish
2 tbsp fresh flat parsley coarsely chopped
1 cup orzo cooked al dente
1 tbsp butter
Salt & pepper to taste
Place pot of water over medium heat to be ready to cook pasta
Heat 3 tbsp EVOO in a frying or saute pan over low/medium heat
Cook garlic until fragrant, without browning, about 3 minutes
Add zucchini slices, separate so they don't touch
Sprinkle with kosher or coarse sea salt and cook for about 4 minutes until the bottoms get slightly golden; flip, lower the heat a bit and cook the other side covered for approximately 4 minutes
Add pasta to boiling water and cook al dente, approximately 5-6 minutes
Meanwhile, cut the steamed asparagus into 2-3 pieces according the length and add to the zucchini/garlic, recover and reduce flame to low; this is just to reheat the asparagus; so maybe 2 minutes, turn off leaving the cover on the pan
As soon as the orzo is cooked, drain, and add to the zucchini/garlic/asparagus. Turn the flame back on to low/medium. Mix gently to disperse the vegetables into the orzo. With the heat still on, add the butter and drizzle the rest of the EVOO, mix gently again. Add more coarse salt to taste and freshly ground pepper. Sprinkle parmesan over the top.
Using a spatula, serve onto the plates. It serves up easily. Sprinkle with extra parmesan cheese and chopped fresh parsley.
Serve as the main dish or alongside a protein like grilled chicken, shrimp, scallops...
Serves 2, as a main course, and 4 as the side to your choice of protein.
Note: You really can't go wrong if you use a little extra parmesan cheese! I used the zucchini and asparagus, mainly because I had steamed fresh asparagus the prior evening and thought it would be a good add to the zucchini. The combination was delicious. I will definitely be making various versions of this dish over the spring and summer, changing it up as the fresh vegetables come into season.
