There are recipes that prove the point of a piece of cookware rather well. This is one of them.
In this recipe, Danielle - a tutor at our London Cook Schools - makes a one-pan orzo 'risotto' primavera with asparagus, peas and wild garlic, finished with a lemony emulsion and quick-pickled rhubarb. It is full of spring freshness, but still comforting enough to feel like a proper supper.
It also happens to suit the Season Tri-Ply Stainless Steel Sauté Pan exceptionally well. The wide base gives you room to soften onions properly, toast the orzo and reduce the stock for better flavour. The depth makes stirring and finishing everything in one pan straightforward. And if you prefer uncoated cookware, this is tri-ply stainless steel with no non-stick coating: durable, steady on the heat, and built to last.
Built for the Season Tri-Ply Stainless Steel Sauté Pan, this recipe takes you through sweating, toasting, deglazing, simmering and finishing - all in one pan. It eats like risotto, but gets there in weeknight time.
Serves: 3-4
Time: 35 minutes
You’ll learn
How to finish a dish with a pan emulsion: turning starchy cooking liquid, fat and lemon into a glossy sauce that coats the orzo properly.
Ingredients
For the base
- 300g orzo
- 1 small onion or 2 shallots, finely diced
- 3 spring onions, sliced, with some green tops reserved to finish
- 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 100-125ml white wine, or extra stock with a squeeze of lemon
- 900ml-1 litre hot vegetable stock
- 40g butter, or 3 tbsp olive oil, plus extra to finish
- 50g grated hard cheese, such as pecorino or parmesan-style, or 2 tbsp white miso for a vegetarian umami hit
- Zest and juice of 1 lemon
- Salt and black pepper
For the spring vegetables
- 1 bunch asparagus, cut into 3-4cm lengths, with the tips kept separate
- 200g peas, fresh or frozen
- 2 large handfuls spinach, optional
- 1 handful wild garlic leaves, thinly sliced, or chives with a little extra lemon
For the rhubarb quick-pickle
- 150g rhubarb, cut into thin batons
- 2 tbsp cider vinegar
- 1 tbsp sugar or honey
- A pinch of salt
To finish
- 2-3 tbsp toasted hazelnuts or almonds, roughly chopped
- Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling
Method
1. Quick-pickle the rhubarb
Mix the cider vinegar, sugar or honey and salt in a small bowl. Add the rhubarb and toss well. Set aside while you cook the rest of the dish.
2. Sweat the aromatics and toast the orzo
Set your sauté pan over a medium heat and add the butter or olive oil.
Add the onion or shallots, the white parts of the spring onions and a pinch of salt. Cook for a few minutes until soft and sweet, without taking on much colour. Stir in the garlic and cook for another 30 seconds.
Add the orzo and stir for 2 minutes, letting it toast lightly until it smells nutty.
3. Deglaze and cook like a loose risotto
Pour in the wine and scrape the base of the pan clean.
Start adding the hot stock a ladle at a time, stirring often and keeping the pan at a lively simmer. You do not need to stir constantly, but it should be enough to keep the orzo moving and encourage the starch to do its work.
After about 8 minutes, stir in the asparagus stalks, keeping the tips back for later.
Continue adding stock until the orzo is tender and the mixture is creamy rather than soupy. You may not need all the stock.
4. Finish the vegetables
In the final few minutes of cooking, stir in the peas and asparagus tips.
If using spinach, fold it through until just wilted.
5. Make the lemony emulsion
Take the pan off the heat.
Add the lemon zest and a generous squeeze of lemon juice, then stir in the cheese or miso. Add a small knob of butter or a drizzle of olive oil and stir vigorously until the sauce turns glossy and coats the orzo.
Taste and adjust the seasoning with salt, pepper and a little more lemon if needed.
6. Serve
Spoon into warm bowls and finish with the wild garlic, reserved spring onion greens, toasted nuts, a few pieces of rhubarb pickle and a spoonful of its liquor. Drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil.
Why cook this in a sauté pan?
A recipe like this makes the case for a sauté pan better than a list of features ever could.
The wide base helps with sweating and toasting, and gives the stock more surface area to reduce. The depth means you can stir and finish everything confidently in one pan without sending orzo across the hob. And the tri-ply construction keeps the heat steady, which is exactly what you want for this kind of cooking.
The Season Tri-Ply Stainless Steel Sauté Pan is suitable for all hob types, including induction, oven-safe up to 240°C, dishwasher safe, and made from stainless steel with an aluminium core for even heat. It is also uncoated, for those who prefer straightforward stainless steel cookware with no non-stick coating to wear away over time and no nasty chemicals.
