LEMON GARLIC ORZO WITH ROASTED VEGETABLES

Read...

Thinking there may be a tiny, infinitesimal chance the heatwave turbocharged the ripening of strawberries, I took a drive out to one of the farms yesterday, not because I’m anxious to get my hands on fresh strawberries or anything.Pulling up to Bell’s Farm stand is a pleasure. A rustic shed sets adjacent to a flock of sheep who, in the summer will eat any corn husks offered from the farm stand. On the other and opposite side is Bell’s strawberry patch, where the juiciest strawberries on the Island are grown.

LEMON GARLIC ORZO WITH ROASTED VEGETABLES
Ingredients
For the Orzo and Veggies:

• 1/3 C Pine Nuts* (see note) 64g
• 1 1/2 C Crimini Mushrooms destemmed and sliced, 116g
• 1 C Mix of Red Yellow, or Orange Bell Peppers, deseeded and diced (I use baby bells), 126g
• 1 lb Asparagus (sub zucchini or eggplant when in season!) cut into 1" pieces with woody ends discarded, 426g
• 12 oz Cherry Tomatoes cut in 1/2, 340g
• 2 tsp Garlic minced, 6g
• 1/2 C Shallot chopped, 116g
• 3 Tbs Extra Virgin Olive Oil divided, 36g
• 1/2 tsp Sea Salt
• 1/2 tsp Black Pepper Ground
• 1 C Orzo 198g
• 1 1/2 C Vegetable Broth 354g
• 1/2 C Garlic and Herb Feta crumbled (Leave off for Vegan Option), 84g

For the Dressing:

• 2 Tbs Extra Virgin Olive Oil 24g
• 1 Tbs Lemon juiced, about 2
• 1/2 tsp Sea Salt
• 1/4 tsp Black Pepper ground

For the Garnish:

• 2-3 Tbs Chopped Fresh Basil
• 2-3 Tbs Chopped Fresh Parsley

Instructions
Toast the Pine Nuts:

1. Preheat Oven to 350F (177C) and toast pine nuts for 6-7 minutes, or until toasty and fragrant. Set aside to cool.

Roast the Veggies:

1. Turn oven up to 425F (218C). Line two sheet pans with parchment paper. Place the mushrooms, bell peppers, asparagus, tomatoes, garlic and shallot on one pan. Sprinkle with 2 Tbs of olive oil. Using a spatula, mix all the veggies together with the olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper then stir again. Move 1/2 the veggie mixture to the other sheet pan. Spread the veggies in one layer, making sure there's no overlapping on both pans. Roast in 425F oven for 35-40 minutes (due to oven variations, start checking your veggies at 25 minutes; a bit of charring is good!). Rotate pans 1/2 way through roasting. 
2. .....
3. .....
4. .....

Full Recipes vanillaandbean.com