Food: Flat Iron Steak, Orzo with Everything

Several weeks ago I followed the advice of Barbara Fairchild (Bon Appetit's Editor-in-Chief) to dig into the Epicurious archives and make a recipe called "Orzo with Everything." Looking for a quick but unusual side dish, I thought it sounded like a good bet. And I was right (or rather Ms. Fairchild was right). First off, the dish is extremely colorful - primarily due to the chopped bits of radicchio and basil. But the real treat is in the taste - it's definitely a party for your tongue. Who knew you could eat something that was bitter, sweet, tart, briny, tangy, fresh, cool, refreshing, crunchy, crisp and smooth all at one time? Wow! Jonathan and I loved this recipe and both had more than one helping. And we discovered it's even better the next day.

In terms of left-overs, besides eating the orzo on its own, buy a roast chicken, shred it and mix it in for a quick lunch-time salad that's easy to pack in a travel container. Or throw in some drained, rinsed black beans for a hearty, veggie alternative.

I served my "Orzo with Everything" alongside a simple, grilled, flat iron steak (my simple version is to lightly coat with olive oil, fresh cracked pepper, and kosher salt and throw it on a grill (medium, direct heat)).

Orzo with Everything

Bon Appétit July 1998

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups orzo (rice-shaped pasta; about 10 ounces)
• 1/3 cup (packed) chopped drained oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes
• 5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
• 1/4 cup (packed) chopped Kalamata olives or other brine-cured black olives
• 1 cup finely chopped radicchio (about 1 small head)
• 1/2 cup pine nuts, toasted
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh basil
• 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• 2 large garlic cloves, minced

Directions

• Cook orzo in pot of boiling salted water until just tender but still firm to bite. Drain well. Transfer to large bowl.
• Add sun-dried tomatoes, oil, vinegar and olives and toss to blend. Let stand until cool. (Can be prepared 6 hours ahead. Cover and refrigerate. Bring to room temperature before continuing.)
• Mix chopped radicchio, pine nuts, chopped basil, Parmesan and garlic into orzo mixture. Season salad to taste with salt and pepper and serve.