Orzo with Kale, Mushrooms, and Goat Cheese

For the first time, I am sharing with you one of my very own recipes!  At this point in my culinary journey, I am feeling more confident about my ability to marry the flavors of different ingredients to create something delicious.  In this instance, the Kale and Goat Cheese inspired me to go in search of other things in my pantry that would make a cohesive and delicious dish.

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Orzo with Kale, Mushrooms, and Goat Cheese

Ingredients:
1 large bunch of Kale
1-2 tbsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1/2 large onion, diced
1 small can mushrooms, drained
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp. dried thyme
1/2 tsp. dried sage
1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1 1/4 tsp. salt
2  - 15oz. cans of diced tomatoes
1 tbsp. fresh squeeze lemon juice
1 cup uncooked Orzo pasta
1 - 4oz. package of crumbled Goat Cheese

Directions:

In a medium-size saucepan, saute the onion and mushrooms in 1-2 tbsp. of EVOO.  When onions are starting to caramelize, add the garlic, thyme, sage, pepper and 1/4 tsp. of the salt to the pan and cook for an additional minute.

To the onion mixture, add both cans of diced tomatoes with their juice, the tablespoon of lemon juice, and the uncooked Orzo. Cover the saucepan and turn the temperature to medium-low, allowing the Orzo to cook and absorb the liquid from the tomatoes.  This should take approximately 10 minutes.

While the Orzo is cooking, fill a large pot halfway with water.  Add 1 tsp. of salt to the water and bring it to a boil on the stovetop.  While waiting for the water to boil, remove the stems from the Kale and tear the leaves into bite-size pieces.  Rinse the Kale thoroughly.  When the salted water has come to a rolling boil, add the Kale and cook it for 2 minutes.  Remove the Kale (reserving 1 cup of the cooking water) and place it directly into the pot with the Orzo. Stir the Kale into the Orzo and replace the cover.  If the mixture seems a bit stiff or dry, add 1/2 to 1 cup of the reserved water.

Just before serving, stir the Goat Cheese into the Orzo until it is well-combined, creating a creamy consistency.

Serves 4

Enjoy!

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I was able to have this meal ready in 30 minutes (Rachael Ray style), which was amazing!  Not boiling the pasta separately saved me at least 10 minutes, and I've been finding that with the rice-like pastas, it is unnecessary.

The Kale added a wonderful (healthy) texture and color to this dish, and the lemon juice served to cut through, as well as to complement, the rich tangy quality of the Goat Cheese.  I have always loved the combination of lemon, black pepper, sage, and thyme in a dish... and mushrooms, tomatoes, onions, and garlic are staples in my kitchen and can be found in almost everything I make.

Quick meals like this are wonderful after a long day, when the last thing you want to do is spend hours in the kitchen, or succumb to the 'takeout menu' at the nearest Chinese joint.  I hope you enjoy this as much as we did :-)

Librarian turned Foodie