The amount of flavor that can be squeezed out of these few ingredients always amazes us. Olive oil, garlic and of paprika really compliments the tomato. This dish has hints of spanish influence, and the orzo is a great medium for these flavors. Asparagus can be tricky to prepare, overcooking can lead to a stringy and mushy texture, and eating it after it has cooled down falls flat. While not elegant looking, a way around both of these problems is by chopping the asparagus into 1/2 inch portions, before cooking them. This dish requires a larger skillet to make sure the asparagus can all fit correctly, and a cover to help steam the vegetables.
Ingredients (serves 2)
3/4 cup orzo (high quality, greek or Italian brand)
1 bushel of asparagus (break off the bottoms at the knuckles, discard any tops that are mushy) - chop into 1/2 inch pieces, but leave the tips a little longer (1 inch)
Tomato paste
optional: Diced small tomato
1.2 clove of garlic - minced
Olive Oil
Paprika
Salt
Black Pepper
Optional: sliced almonds , common in spanish cooking can be used here as well.
Steps
Boil orzo in salted water (15 mins) - remove /strain water. Add to a bowl, coat with olive oil and keep warm.
Bring a large skillet to medium high heat. Add olive oil, then chopped asparagus, salt, black pepper. Saute for 5 minutes, moving it around and adjusting the temperature.
Add another tsp of olive oil, then chopped garlic, stir and let sit for 5 more minutes at medium heat. IF using almonds, add at this step.
Add 2 Tbsp of Tomato paste, chopped tomatoes, and 1 Tbsp of paprika and cover. If the paste is too thick, add a few tbsp of water.
Stir, making sure the tomato sauce has had a chance to cook down and mix with the olive oil and garlic.
Serve by combining the asparagus and tomato sauce with the orzo..
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