Signature Dish of the Day: Creamy Mushroom & Ground Beef Orzo Risotto

Signature Dish of the Day: Our signature dish of the day today is this scrumptious Creamy Mushroom & Ground Beef Orzo Risotto 😍. I have been keen on trying out a risotto recipe for quite a while now as a way to change up my regular pasta recipes, and I randomly came up with the idea to substitute orzo pasta for the more commonly used arborio rice since that is what I had available in my kitchen pantry. As I have noted on previous posts, orzo pasta both resembles rice grains in shape and also cooks in a very similar way. I am glad I took a chance on this substitution as the orzo turned out well and the resulting dish was both creamy and delicious. I must warn you, however, that the process for making this risotto is somewhat long and tedious due to the constant stirring required. A great deal of patience is needed to make this dish but you will be rewarded with a flavorful, satisfying, and fulfilling meal at the end of it all!😁

To prepare this dish, first heat up about 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large, deep skillet for about 2 minutes and then pour in a combination of diced red onions, tomatoes, and red and orange bell peppers. Make sure the skillet you use is large enough and has a lid. Season the base mixture with about 1/2 teaspoon each of ground black pepper, cumin, turmeric, smoked paprika, and sprinkle about  1 teaspoon of rosemary flakes as well. Mix thoroughly and let this cook down for another 3 minutes before adding in about 1 cup of washed cremini mushrooms sliced into halves. Season with some salt and an additional 1/2 teaspoon each of black pepper and smoked paprika, then cover the skillet and let the mushrooms simmer under medium heat. After about 10 minutes, pour in 1 lb. of lean ground beef and stir to blend well with the mushroom and base ingredients. Continue stirring for 5 minutes and cover for another 5 minutes until the meat changes color to brown and is fully cooked through. Once done, stir in 1 cup of frozen peas and carrots and add 2 cups of water to start creating a broth. Let this cook for about 5 minutes then reduce the heat level to low and finally pour in 2 cups of orzo pasta, stirring continuously to ensure it does not coat the bottom of the pan. Keep adding 1 cup of water at a time while stirring and continue this process for about 15 minutes until the pasta is fully cooked. 

Towards the end of the cooking process, I sprinkled about 1/4 cup of grated parmesan to enhance flavor and increase the creamy texture of the risotto. I also garnished the dish with some dry parsley and basil flakes. Be sure to keep tasting as needed and season generously with salt as well once the pasta is nearly cooked to ensure the dish is adequately seasoned. Please note that you can also substitute vegetable or meat broth for the water for additional flavor. This dish took a total of about 45 minutes to prepare...I have to admit that it is definitely something that I would only prepare occasionally given the investment of time and effort required but the result is well worth it. I hope you give it a try to sometime and let us know how it goes. Enjoy! 😋💝