Mushroom Orzo - SRC

For this month's Secret Recipe Club, I was assigned to Mellissa's blog, A Fit and Spicy Life.  Upon visiting her blog, you'll notice that she does a lot of cooking.  And to balance out all that good eating, she also does  a lot of working out.  Add those two things together and that is how she came up with the name of her blog.

Upon searching through her blog, I saw a lot of recipes I wanted to try such as the Roasted Red Pepper and Ricotta Chicken, Ginger Lime Beef Stir Fry, and her S'mores Granola Bars.  But, the one that caught my eye the most was her mushroom orzo.  I remember when I was a kid, I did not like mushrooms at all.  But, fast forward to the present and I can't get enough of them.  Plus, I just happened to have some orzo in the pantry as well.

Apparently, when making this, I didn't read the instructions quite as well as I should have.  So, I missed the part where it said to actually cook the orzo before you add it in.  As a result, I added the orzo into the pan, uncooked, and then wondered why it wasn't getting soft, even after the liquid was gone.  Perplexed, I just kept adding more broth, as though I was making risotto, until finally, one extra cup of broth later, the orzo was finally done.

 

Although I made that one small mistake, the orzo still turned out fantastic.  It amazed me how the mushrooms added such a bold, rich flavor to the dish.  In fact, I didn't even need to add a lot of salt, just a mere pinch, which is always a good thing since I try to keep my dishes low in sodium.  Top it off with a little cheese and you've got a dish that will leave you craving for more. 

Mushroom Orzo (adapted from A Fit and Spicy Life)

3/4 c. uncooked orzo
3 c. mushrooms (I used criminis)
1 1/2 Tbsp. butter
1 1/4 c. chicken broth
2 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
salt, pepper to taste
parmesan cheese 

Melt the butter in a skillet.  Add the mushrooms, salt, and pepper and let cook on medium-high heat till they release their liquid.  Add the broth, vinegar, and orzo.  Keep cooking and stirring until the liquid is absorbed. Keep adding more broth, 1/4 cup at a time, stirring frequently, until the orzo is soft and cooked through.  Top off with cheese if desired.  

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