tasty BITS
Vibrant Spring Green
Vibrant Spring Green vegetables are here! Crisp asparagus, tender greens, tasty spring peas, crunchy leeks, earthy spring mushrooms, spring onions, new potatoes, tarragon and dill… all will be coming into their peak of flavor soon! Here are 2 simple recipes to help you celebrate this beautiful new season and spring your plates forward with nature’s fresh spring green vegetables!
Spring Vegetable Orzo with Sea Bass Servings: 4 Prep time: 10 minutes Cooking time: 25 minutes
This simple, Greek-inspired recipe features orzo, spinach, scallions and fresh herbs. It is light, but satisfying thanks to all those vegetables. Orzo pasta makes this dish as appealing as risotto, but without all the stirring! Zesty feta cheese gives it creaminess and tang, while herbs & lemon zest brighten up the flavors. The orzo and vegetables could make a complete meal on its own, or it makes the perfect complement to roasted fish, such as Sea Bass.
Ingredients
2 tablespoons unsalted butter (or olive oil) 4 large scallions, thinly sliced 2 garlic cloves, minced 5 ounces baby spinach leaves (5 cups), coarsely chopped 1 teaspoon kosher salt 1 ¾ cups low-sodium chicken or vegetable stock 1 cup orzo 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest ( from 1 lemon) ½ cup crumbled feta, plus more for garnish ½ cup frozen peas, thawed (optional) 1/2 cup chopped fresh dill or flat-leaf parsley 1/2 cup pine nuts, toasted (optional) 2 tablespoons olive oil 4 sea bass fillets (approx. 4 oz. each)
Directions
Kathy Dicken lives in Huntersville and is the author of the food blog, The Tasty Bits. For more meal ideas that are simple and delicious, you can follow her blog at www.thetastybits.com or on Instagram @thetastybits.
18 LimitlessMagOnline.com | April 2022
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Melt butter in a large skillet over Medium heat. Stir in about three-quarters of the scallions (reserving green parts for garnish) and garlic, and cook until softened, stirring frequently, about 3 minutes. Stir in stock and bring to a simmer. Stir in orzo and a sprinkle of lemon zest. Cover and simmer over Medium-low heat until most of the liquid is absorbed, about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add chopped spinach, adding in batches if it doesn’t all fit in the pan at once, and 1 teaspoon salt. Continue to cook, while stirring, until spinach is wilted, about 3 minutes. (Note: Add a splash of water if needed, to get the spinach incorporated.) While orzo cooks, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a separate skillet. Brush sea bass fillets with 1 tablespoon oil, and season both sides with salt & pepper. When the pan is hot, add fillets and sauté until browned, approximately 2 minutes each side. Finish cooking in the oven (top rack) for about 10 minutes. Finally, stir crumbled feta and peas (if using) into orzo, cover the pan, and cook for another 1 minute, to finish cooking and warm the peas. To serve, sprinkle orzo with chopped parsley, lemon zest, more feta and the reserved scallions, alongside sea bass. Finish the dish off with a squeeze of lemon.
