Orzo & Portabello Mushrooms
Submitted by ladyhawkokc
Orzo with marinated portabello mushrooms, simmered in a sundried-tomato and white wine broth with garlic, capers and herbs, then tossed with the orzo. A bold, oil-free vegetarian dinner in under 30 minutes.
YIELD
1 servingsPREP
15 minCOOK
15 minREADY
30 minThis clever little dinner turns out a restaurant-worthy plate of orzo topped with meaty marinated portabello caps in well under thirty minutes, and there is not a drop of oil in it.
That is the smart part. Instead of oil, everything sautes and simmers in the soaking water from the sundried tomatoes plus a cup of white wine. The result is light but deeply flavored, since the tomato water carries all that concentrated, sun-dried sweetness.
While the orzo boils, the portabello caps marinate in wine and a trio of thyme, oregano and marjoram, then simmer until tender in the same time it takes the pasta to cook.
A final flourish reduces the leftover marinade with briny capers into a quick sauce that gets tossed through the orzo. Plate the orzo, crown it with a whole mushroom cap, and you have a smart, healthy vegetarian dinner.
Chef Tips
- Save the sundried tomato soaking water. It is pure concentrated flavor and stands in for the oil when you saute and simmer.
- Time it so the orzo and mushroom caps finish together, about twelve minutes, as the recipe lays out, for an easy one-go dinner.
- Reduce the wine-and-caper sauce until it is syrupy so it coats the orzo rather than watering it down.
Variations
- Add a splash of olive oil or a knob of butter if you are not keeping it oil-free.
- Finish with shaved Parmesan or fresh basil, leaving the cheese off to keep it vegan.
- Stir baby spinach or arugula into the hot orzo to wilt.
Ingredients
Directions
You can make this in under 30 minutes if you do it all at once.
Put the water on to boil for the orzo, and put the sundried tomatoes in a bowl with about a cup of water to reconstitute (rinse them off first as you will use the soaking water later).
Wash the portabellos and cut off the stems.
Put caps in a dish and sprinkle with the three herbs, then pour the cup of wine over them to marinate.
Coarsely chop the mushroom stems, mince the garlic.
In a nonstick pan, sauté the garlic and mushroom stems in a little tomato water or wine.
Drain tomatoes, reserving the liquid, and chop coarsely (it’s okay if they are not fully softened at this point) and sautée.
The water should be boiling now so put the orzo on to cook.
Scoot the tomato/garlic/chopped mushroom mixture to the edges of the pan and place mushroom caps in the middle.
Pour the tomato water over them, cover, and simmer until the mushrooms are finished, about 12 minutes (same time as it takes the orzo to cook).
Remove the mushroom caps to a plate (to two plates I mean) and pour the leftover marinating wine into the pan, and add capers.
Cook and stir until reduced.
Drain orzo and toss with the mixture, and serve with the mushroom caps.
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