Courgette, broad bean and lemon orzo with herbs

Serves - 4

You’ll need

• 300g orzo
• 2 medium courgettes, diced
• 200g broad beans, fresh or frozen
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 small onion or 2 shallots, finely chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• Zest of 1 lemon
• Juice of 1 lemon
• Small handful mint, finely chopped
• Small handful flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
• Small handful dill, finely chopped
• 700ml vegetable stock, hot
• Sea salt
• Black pepper

Method

1. Start the base

Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan or deep frying pan over a medium heat. Add the onion or shallots with a pinch of salt and cook for 6–8 minutes until soft and translucent. Add the garlic and cook for another minute, just until fragrant and heading in the right direction.

2. Cook the courgettes

Add the diced courgettes and cook for 4–5 minutes until softened and just starting to catch a little at the edges. You want them tender and sweetened up, not cooked to total surrender.

3. Add the orzo

Stir in the orzo and cook for a minute or so, letting it get lightly coated in the oil and flavours already in the pan. It is a small step, but it helps everything feel a bit more joined up later on.

4. Build it like a risotto

Pour in the hot stock a bit at a time, stirring regularly and letting most of each addition be absorbed before adding the next. Keep going for around 8–10 minutes, stirring often enough that it stays glossy and does not catch on the bottom.

5. Add the broad beans

Stir in the broad beans for the final 3–4 minutes of cooking. The orzo should end up tender and the whole thing should be loose and silky rather than dry and clumpy. Add a splash more hot water or stock if it needs it.

6. Finish properly

Take the pan off the heat and stir in the lemon zest, lemon juice and most of the herbs. Season with salt and plenty of black pepper, then give it a taste. It should feel bright, herby and fresh, not flat and overly worthy.

7. Serve

Spoon into warm bowls and scatter over the remaining herbs. Serve straight away while it is still soft, glossy and exactly as it ought to be.

A couple of helpful notes

- If you are using fresh broad beans, double pod them if they are large or slightly older, as the outer skins can be a bit tough.
- A handful of toasted almonds or pumpkin seeds over the top works very nicely if you want a bit more texture.
- This is best served straight away, as orzo has a habit of continuing to absorb liquid as it sits.