Orzo

Right Stuff

IN THE ORZONE

Spaghetti, linguine, fusilli, penne. Americans love their pasta. But many people have never heard of orzo, the silky-textured pasta that looks like oversized rice. If that’s you, here’s your chance to make your first orzo your best orzo. RiceSelect Whole Wheat Orzo and DeLallo 100% Organic Whole Wheat Orzo don’t toss out the bran and germ like refined pastas do. So you get not just the couple of B vitamins and the iron that’s added back to white pasta, but a higher dose of fiber (6 to 9 grams), plus roughly 10 percent or more of a day’s vitamin B-6, magnesium, zinc, copper, and selenium in each 200-calorie cup.
And whole wheat orzo has more fiber, protein, and selenium than you’d get in brown rice, which takes longer to cook (unless you buy it parboiled).
How do you prepare orzo? Like any pasta, just boil it in plenty of water until al dente, about 8 minutes (6 minutes if you’ll be using it in a cold pasta salad). Then just drain and you’re ready for business.
Toss the cooked orzo with plenty of chopped fresh basil and ripe tomatoes with a splash of extra-virgin olive oil. Or mix in some fresh dill, mint, scallions, feta cheese, lemon juice, and olive oil. Or toss with roasted veggies—cherry tomatoes, garlic, onions, bell peppers, zucchini, eggplant, anything that’s in season.
You can also treat orzo like rice. Try it in a simple risotto (see the Dish of the Month).
No matter how you prepare it, one thing’s for sure: your diners will want some morzo.
RiceSelect: (800) 993-7423
DeLallo: (877) 335-2556