Arugula Orzo with Feta, Lemon & Mint
Prep Time: 15 mins
Cook Time: 30 mins
Total Time: 45 mins
Serves: 5
Spring is finally here, which means we’re in the mood for something zingy, bright and zesty! This Arugula Orzo with Feta, Lemon & Mint is the perfect recipe for this time of year, and it’s so easy to make. All of the flavors come together in one simple sauce that’s so addicting. Plus, April is prime time for arugula and peas, so if you want to cook seasonally this year, this recipe is perfect.
Classic spring flavors unite to make this simple, bright and wholesome pasta come to life. This pasta is truly a love letter to arugula, which I've always felt was more like an herb than a leafy green. You can put this lemony, bright arugula sauce on any noodle, but I love orzo to give it a risotto feel! This recipe is a great option for a quick weeknight meal because the ingredients are so simple. Many of them are pantry staples, and all of them are easy to find this time of year.
Springtime is the season of the Liver in Chinese Medicine! To live within harmony of the season we recommend focusing on foods that fit into these categories":
Green Foods: During spring, it is recommended to eat foods green in color and rich in chlorophyll that help accelerate rejuvenation of the liver. This includes things like kale, Swiss chard, collard greens, spirulina, chlorella, parsley, and wheat grass.
Radishes: Pungent in flavor, radishes are perfect for the springtime. They help move liver Qi and open up the liver meridian.
Sour Citrus Fruits: Foods like lemons, limes and grapefruit are all good choices that help cut fats that may have been stored up in the body during the winter months, while also keeping the liver Qi moving smoothly.
Bitter Leafy Greens: Spring is the appropriate time for liver cleansing, which is what the bitter flavor does. So adding things like dandelion greens, arugula, radicchio, mustard greens and spinach will help tremendously.
A Little Sweetness: Think young vegetables such as young carrots and beets. This nourishes the blood and helps keep you vital during all the new activity.
As you can see this recipe embodies many of the qualities that are important this time of year — and it’s oh-so tasty! Let us know how your liver is feeling after you make this meal :)
INGREDIENTS
6 cups arugula
2 cups fresh parsley stems removed
2 cups English peas
3 garlic cloves
1 lemon for juicing
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil plus more for garnishing
16 ounces orzo, or any dried pasta of choice
2 ounces feta cheese for garnishing
1/2 cup fresh mint leaves for garnishing
kosher salt
INSTRUCTIONS
In a a large pot of water set to boil. Season with a few very generous pinches of salt.
Prepare an ice bath to set to the side.
When the water is boiling, add the arugula and parsley and let them cook for 30 seconds. Use tongs or a spider to immediately transfer to the ice bath.
Add the English peas to the boiling water. Boil for about 60 seconds, they will rise to the top when they are doing. Use a spider or slotted spoon to transfer them to the ice bath as well.
Lower the heat on the stove to medium low.
Pull the arugula and parsley out of the ice bath (you'll have to maneuver around some peas, but no worries), and squeeze out any excess water. Add them to a small blender.
Add the garlic, the juice from one lemon, red pepper flakes and olive oil to the blender. Scoop 1/3 cup of water from the ice bath and add that as well. Blend until a smooth green sauce forms. Taste and season with a few big pinches of salt. Set aside.
Increase the heat on the stove to high and bring the water back to a boil. Add the orzo and cook until nearly finished, 6-8 minutes. Reserve 2/3 cups of the salted pasta water, strain out the rest.
Add the orzo back to the pot and add the arugula sauce. Mix, adding splashes of the reserved pasta water to help everything emulsify.
Using a spider or slotted spoon, scoop the peas into the pasta and mix again.
Portion the orzo into five bowls, garnish each with a sprinkling of crumbled feta and some torn mint. Drizzle with olive oil and serve!
photo and recipe credits to Justine Snacks
