Yield: 4 side dish servings (easily doubles)

Joe and I are headed to NYC today for a dear friend’s wedding.  While, we are mostly excited about the wedding, we haven’t been to New York in far too long, so we are also amped about our POD hotel in East Midtown and the food!

Yesterday afternoon, another good friend who gets to Manhattan every year sent me her list of restaurant recommendations and I found myself starving.  Though, in truth, by 5 p.m. I am always starving.  I rise at 5:30 and teach high school all day, which I love, but which works up quite an appetite.

A handful of roasted peanuts and cashews–even with nutritional yeaste–didn’t do the trick.  So, I was casting about for something to snack on before I meet Joe at 7:30 for date night when I remembered that I had created this orzo risotto dish, but never finished it.  Yum!  Since I won’t be posting until after our weekend in the city, I thought I would go ahead and share now.

The recipe came about after making my Vegan Smokey Grilled Asparagus and White Bean Spread to take to a party.  I hated to waste–even to compost–all of the asparagus trimmings, so I made a stock.  But then I wasn’t sure what to do with it. I thought about a soup, but was craving something sort of creamy, starchy and chewy.  An opened box of orzo in the pantry provided all the inspiration I needed for this delectable Toasted Orzo Risotto that whispers spring with its oh-so-subtle hint of asparagus and bright fresh lemon zest.

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 cup dried orzo

1/8th teaspoon sea salt + more to taste, if desired (to finish the dish)

2 1/2 cups asparagus stock (asparagus trimmings and a pinch of sea salt simmered in 2 cups water for 20 minutes and steeped until cool) OR any vegetable stock, preferably low sodium

1/2 cup dry white wine (I use a pinot grigio)

1/2 cup plain coconut or soy creamer (use unsweetened if you can find it)

1/4 cup nutritional yeast

1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper or to taste

Zest of 1/2 large lemon

Garnish: lemon zest, sprigs of fresh herbs, or the primary vegetabel from stock, if homemade.

In a large cast iron skillet over medium high, heat olive oil, add orzo, stir to coat and toast, stirring occasionally, for about 3 minutes or until lighly browned, avoid over-browning, especially toward the end.  Add one-third of  stock and cook, stirring frequently, for 2 to 3 minutes.  Repeat with remaining stock, one-third at a time, followed by white wine and creamer, for a total of 10 to 15 minutes of cooking time.  To finish the dish, stir in nutritional yeast, black pepper, and lemon zest.  Check for salt and add more if desired.  Serve garnished as desired.  (I used grilled asparagus spears.)