Mushroom orzotto

Serves: 4
Course: Main Course
Cooking Time: 0 hr 20 mins

Ingredients

  • 400g orzo
  • 1tbsp butter
  • 500g mushrooms, sliced
  • Sea salt and black pepper
  • 2 cloves garlic, crushed
  • 60ml white wine or Sambuca
  • 1tsp Dijon mustard
  • 250ml cream
  • 20g flat leaf parsley
  • 1tsp finely chopped fresh thyme
  • 40g finely grated Parmesan and extra to serve
  • To serve: green salad or vegetables 
  •  

1 Cook the orzo in plenty of boiling salted water till just al dente, then drain and return the orzo to the pot. Keep warm. I usually have this simmering as I cook the mushrooms.

2 Melt the butter in a pan and, when it is hot, add the mushrooms. Leave undisturbed for a few minutes, then season with salt and pepper, turning gently. Leave to cook for 5-8 minutes more until the mushrooms have caramelised in places and have a good colour. Lower the heat and add the crushed garlic, stir over the heat for a few seconds for the raw taste to disappear.

3 Add the white wine or Sambuca and leave to simmer for 30 seconds before stirring in the mustard. Remove the pan from the heat and transfer the mushroom mix to the pot of orzo along with the parsley, thyme and cream.

4 Stir well over a low heat for a minute to warm through. Stir in the Parmesan. Taste for seasoning, then serve right away with extra Parmesan on top.

Lilly Higgins

Lilly Higgins

Lilly Higgins, a contributor to The Irish Times, is a food writer