One Pot, Pan, Planet: Preserved Lemon & Herb-baked Orzo
25 May 2022
Try this fantastic recipe for Preserved Lemon & Herb-baked Orzo shared with Active Retirees by Anna Jones from her cookbook One Pot, Pan, Planet.
SERVES: 6
I have been trying to find an authentic recipe for this since I heard about Syrian yoghurt-baked orzo from a friend. I couldn't find a recipe that sounded like the one my friend Holly described, so I made this up. I am sure it is a long way from the traditional recipe but it has all the things I want to eat with orzo. I'm still in search of the Syrian version. Please do get in touch if you have a good recipe.
INGREDIENTS
2 medium leeks, washed, trimmed and thinly sliced
2 tablespoons olive oil
the juice of an unwaxed lemon
1 teaspoon coriander seeds, roughly ground in a pestle and mortar
½ teaspoon fennel seeds
1 green chilli, finely chopped
100g baby spinach, washed
350g orzo pasta
4 generous handfuls of mixed soft herbs (I like parsley, tarragon, mint and dill)
400ml plain yoghurt of your choice
1 organic egg, beaten, or 30g ground flaxseed
½ large preserved lemon, flesh discarded and skin finely chopped
1 teaspoon sumac
TO SERVE:
4 spring onions, thinly sliced
zest of 1 unwaxed lemon
METHOD
Preheat the oven to 220°C/200°C fan/gas 7.
In a 28cm baking dish (I use a round one), toss the leeks with the olive oil, half the lemon juice, the coriander, fennel and chilli and season well with salt and pepper. Cover tightly with foil and cook in the hot oven for 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, toss the spinach in a large mixing bowl with the orzo, half the herbs and all the remaining ingredients. Season well with salt and pepper.
Remove the baking dish from the oven and stir through the yoghurt, spinach and orzo mixture. Pour over 400ml boiling water and stir again to combine. Cover the dish with foil (or a lid if it has one) and return to the oven for 25 minutes.
After this time, remove the foil, squeeze over the remaining lemon juice and return to the oven for 5-7 minutes until the top is crisp and beginning to turn golden at the edges.
Remove from the oven and allow to sit for 5 minutes before sprinkling over the remaining herbs, spring onions and lemon zest.
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