Lemon Orzo
This lemon orzo recipe includes bright, summer corn to turn up the sunshine.
Servings: 8 people
Calories: 243kcal
Equipment
- 1 sharp knife
- 1 mixing bowl
- 1 lemon zester
- 1 sauté pan
- 1 4 quart pot
- 1 collander
Ingredients
- 2 cups orzo pasta
- 1½ cups uncooked corn - from 3 ears (or canned corn)
- 4 cups chicken broth
- ½ cup parmesan - grated
- 2 tbsp. butter - salted
- ¼ cup fresh lemon juice - about 2 lemons
- lemon zest - from 1 lemon
- 1 tbsp. olive oil
- fresh pepper - just a sprinkle
- parsley - for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Slice 1½ cups of corn kernels from 3 ears of corn. I find it’s easiest to slice them off the cob into a bowl.
- Zest 1 whole lemon. Set aside.
- Sauté corn over a high flame in 2 tbsp. butter until starting to brown, about 10 minutes. Once done, remove into a mixing bowl.
- While corn sautés, bring 4 cups chicken broth to a low boil. Add 2 cups orzo, and reduce to a low simmer, stirring occasionally for 10 minutes, or until orzo is perfectly al dente. Once orzo is done, pour into a colander to drain any remaining broth.
- In a mixing bowl, add cooked orzo, lemon zest, ¼ cup fresh lemon juice, ½ cup parmesan, 1 tbsp. olive oil, a nice sprinkle of fresh pepper, and serve. Top with chopped parsley (optional).
Notes
You may want to use a spatter screen when sautéing corn over a high flame. Some may start to pop, and they’ll be very hot!
Use a lid when cooking orzo, or too much broth may evaporate. If it appears there isn’t enough moisture in the orzo before it’s done, simply add another ¼ cup chicken broth or water.
If you intend to serve this recipe cold, place in a sealed, refrigerated container. After about an hour of cooling, add another teaspoon of olive oil and fluff. As the orzo cools, it may start to stick together or clump, even with the original tablespoon of olive oil. An extra teaspoon of oil and fluffing an hour later keeps it perfectly textured, even until the next day.
This recipe will stay fresh in a sealed, refrigerated container for up to 3 days.
See post for detailed instructions with photos of the process.
Nutrition information is an estimate.
Nutrition
Serving: 4ounces | Calories: 243kcal | Carbohydrates: 35g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 15mg | Sodium: 562mg | Potassium: 182mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 220IU | Vitamin C: 5mg | Calcium: 89mg | Iron: 1mg