like always, lovely

http://stationgourmande.canalblog.com

In my limited experience with Risotto I think the Orzo pasta makes a much better tasting dish than the Arborio rice. I'm not sure why. I will definitely be trying this dish.

Nicely demonstrated and executed. I must point out, though, that the photo is not of asparagus tips, but asparagus stalks. tips are usually about the top 4 inches or so of the asparagus stalk. Also, I'd suggest adding about 1/4 cup of good white wine - maybe a sauvignon blanc - to the deglazing liquid.

Hmmmm.... well, the dish looks great, and if I could only convince my wife to like shrim, and me to like those vile weeds, I might just have to make it some night.

I'm a little currious though, would this really be risotto? To me, the thing that really made it a rice dish was the starchy sauce that comes out of the rice. I've made risotto with a number of different rices, and while none of the other rices produced as much of this starch, its always there. I would assume orzo wouldn't have this, and from the pic, it didn't look like it.

I guess it probably all comes down to mouth feel, and that's not something you can really show ;)

Well by pure definition it isn't a risotto as its not made of rice, but Orzo in my experience does make a nice and much easier replacement. Since orzo is a pasta you still get starch coming off it when it cooks(prob not as much as Arborio rice, but it has some) which is probably why the original recipe asked to use part of the cooking water(as well as flavor).

As for mock risottos with orzo vs real risottos, personally I like both. I do think there are flavor and texture differences but they are still very similar for me. I am definitely going to try this recipe although seeing as my wife and I can't seem to make shrimp we like(love it in a restaurant) at home will prob substitute another meat or leave protein out and serve it as a side dish.

The trick with making decent shrimp at home, as this recipe illustrates, is to use high heat (promotes flavor via Maillard reaction) and be VERY quick. This recipe suggested a minute on both sides -- I might be tempted to cook for a minute on the first side and then 30 seconds on the flip and allow the heat of the orzo to cook the shrimp the rest of the way through.

Made it, turned out rather deliciously. If I had to do it again I wouldn't add salt at any stage as the stock tends to be salty and the butter has high salt content. In the same vein, I think I'd dilute the stock a bit more. I substituted a 1/4C white wine for the 1/4C asparagus stock.

All-in-all very nice. Thanks for the recipe and wonderful photos.

Hi,

I made this dish today & it came out very well. Thanks a lot. You have got a very nice website.

Sonali

I just found your website a few days ago and have now made two recipes from it (Asparagus with Almonds) and this one and I really enjoyed both of them. I am college student majoring in economics and though I am not an engineer, I truly enjoy an analytical look at most things -- and now I can add cooking to that list!

I have the photo in the Food and Wine magazine and compared to your photo, your looks creamier. I kept this issue of Food and Wine to try this, now I definately will. By the way, the original recipe calls for asparagus spears, not just tips.

I made it last night. I think I had a bit too much salt but, the dish is very good and far lighter than conventional risotto. Always found risotto a pain to make but this is easy and good. I never would have thought of doing it with orzo. Browning the butter helped the overall flavour. Want to try your onion rings next perhaps. :)

The fastest and easiest way to make risotto is to use a [u:63169c0d37]pressure cooker[/u:63169c0d37]. You don't have to constantly stir the risotto, and it only takes 7 minutes. For directions, go here: [color=green:63169c0d37][u:63169c0d37]pressure cooker risotto recipe[/u:6316...37].

I've looked all over the web for details on how orzo pasta is made, as in how do they manufacture the pasta to be in those little rice kernel shapes. All I can find anywhere are recipes on how to cook orzo pasta.

So, anyone know how it's made? My initial guess is that it's created as a big sheet of pasta and cut into those bits while still fresh and that the drying process gives it that tapered shape maybe?

While on the lookout for a risotto recipe i came across your very wonderfully displayed recipe! I'm no engineer, but i found very helpful and clearly worded. Thanks :)

I was wondering if anyone could tell me how they actualy shape Orzo. I am a home cook and would like to try and make some fresh.

I fixed this for dinner tonight and it was excellent. I have a box of Orzo sitting in my cabinet and didn't know what to make. The shrimp, orzo, asparagus was very delicious and the directions were very simple. :)

I just love the layout of the recipe cards at the end. they are very organized. You have a very nice site and i appreciate the specialized layout and explinations of the steps and ammounts for each ingredient. :)

I don't know how labor intensive making all the tiny shapes this way would be but my immediate thought would be to roll out long strings of pasta and pinch off small lengths. I'm thinking from experience with clay and bread dough as I have never personally tried making pasta.

....long strings of pasta and pinch off small lengths

indeed, very small lengths, then point the ends.

lottsa lottsa lottsa small lengths. orzo is about the size of a grain of rice.

I went looking and find no references to "home made orzo" - lottsa references to machine made specialty pastas.

it would appear orzo is a child of the machine made pasta age.

gnocchi tries my patience, can't fathom "hand making rice"

Since risotto is always made from rice and orzo is a pasta, you may want to correct the title of the recipe to orzo, risotto-style or risotto-style orzo. You're an engineer...get it right! JK :D