8.20.2009

Prosciutto And Summer Veggie Orzo



Remember those pork chops stuffed with prosciutto and sage that I made not too long ago? Well, after I made them, I had a bit of sage and prosciutto leftover and thought I could turn them into something flavorful and creative for lunch for the rest of the week.

Following a quick scan of the pantry and fridge, I knew I could whip up some sort of orzo and summer veggie mixture that the prosciutto and sage would complement well.

I tend to make a lot of pasta (or Israeli couscous) dishes whenever I have fresh veggies and leftover dinner ingredients hanging around.

This is a pretty rough recipe because I didn't write down exactly what I did. Sorry about that! But you can definitely throw in whatever you're in the mood for... and use amounts that work for you. It's basically sauteeing veggies and cooking up some orzo! Super quick and super easy.

Prosciutto And Summer Veggie Orzo

Ingredients

1/4 to 1/2 cup orzo, depending how hungry you are (or how many lunches you want), cooked according to package directions, mixed with a little olive oil to keep it from sticking, and set aside
olive oil
small onion, diced
1 yellow squash, halved and thinly sliced
a few thin slices of prosciutto, cut into about 1-inch pieces
a few leaves of sage, cut into small pieces
one ear's worth of corn kernels, stripped off the cob
1 medium tomato or half large tomato, diced and seeds removed
salt and pepper

Preparation

Heat a tablespoon or so of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions. Saute for about 5 minutes and then add your squash. Mix well so onions aren't all on the bottom. Cook until squash and onions soften and start to brown (or to your liking). Feel free to add more olive oil if you need it.

Add the prosciutto and sage, and saute for about a minute.

squash, sage, and prosciutto in pan
Then mix everything well. You just want to get the prosciutto and sage to get hot.


Then toss in your corn kernels and diced tomato, and give everything another good stir.


Next take the orzo that you set aside earlier, and stir it into the mixture. Season to taste with salt and pepper.


And voila! Lunch for two days is all set and ready to be packaged up and refrigerated. You can either eat this cold like a pasta salad or rewarm it in the microwave for a minute or two.

I really enjoyed all the veggies in here and loved having the saltiness of the prosciutto and the sweetness of the near-caramelized onions.

Remember, you don't have to follow this recipe exactly. Look through your fridge, pantry, and leftovers, and pick your favorite veggies, herbs, and meat (if you're a meat eater). Follow the basic guidelines and create a dish you love!