Tonight’s dinner is brought to you by the fact that I wanted something different.

We have really been in a rut – and the only way to get out of a rut is to just say no. Or something. The rut-ending started with the Sourdough bread. It took three days to get onto the table so I needed something that would compliment it. I was thinking a risotto and while that thought was formulating, I remembered a recipe I had seen about making risotto with orzo. A rut-free dinner was born!

The concept is pretty much identical to making risotto – and pretty much the same ratios of ingredients.

I used:

  • 1 cup orzo
  • 1 cup white wine
  • 4 cups beef broth
  • 2 shallots, minced
  • 1 carrot, diced
  • 2 celery stalks, diced
  • 1 cup green beans, sliced small
  • 1 cup cooked beef, diced
  • 1/2 pkg Boursin cheese
  • butter and olive oil
  • 1 egg per person

Saute the vegetables in oil and butter until they begin to soften. Add the orzo and saute until lightly browned.

Add the wine and cook, stirring, until almost fully evaporated. Add the broth, one cup at a time, stirring as you would a risotto.

With the 4th and final cup of broth, add the coked beef and stir everything together.

Turn off heat and let sit about 5 minutes.

Stir in Boursin and check for seasoning.

Serve with a runny fried egg on top.

It really was a fun dinner. It was comforting and familiar, but just different enough to jump-start the rut-removal.

It’s snowing outside and I have a lot more sourdough starter, so I think I may play with more bread tomorrow… maybe even a sourdough pizza…

Stay tuned…