Orzo risotto with prosciutto wrapped pork loin medallions
Through HelloFresh recipes I came into contact with the rice shaped pasta called orzo. I liked these dishes very much so I started searching for other recipes to use orzo for. What is special abut orzo is you can prepare it like risotto, like in this recipe.
Next to orzo I also like anything that is wrapped in prosciutto, like the classic saltimbocca. Usually you always use sage in a saltimbocca, but this recipe uses basil instead which is a pleasant change. Pork loin is also very delicious, especially when it is cooked perfectly, not overcooked and grey, but still a little blush in the middle. The best way to guarantee the cooking is to use the meat core temperature.
In short a dish with tasty orzo and vegetables together with a well-coked piece of meat. The best ingredients for a wonderful meal.
- 1 onion
- 1 teentje garlic
- 1 red chili
- 1 zucchini
- 125 g cherry tomatoes
- 75 g Parmesan cheese
- 6 plakje prosciutto
- 1 bosje basil
- 600 g pork loin (approx. 25 cm)
- salt and pepper
- 1 vegetable stock cube
- 3 el oil
- 300 g orzo (riceshaped pasta)
Peal and dice the onion and the garlic. Clean the red chili and remove the seeds, rinse the chili and cut finely. Clean the zucchini and cut into thin slices. Rinse the cherry tomatoes. Grate the Parmesan cheese. Wash the basil and take the leaves from the stalks.
For the medallions. Place the slices prosciutto overlapping on a cutting board. Spread halve of the Parmesan cheese and the basil over the prosciutto. Place the pork loin on top and wrap around the prosciutto and if necessary pin with cocktail sticks.
For the orzo. Dissolve the stock cube in approx. 600 ml boiling water. Warm 1 tablespoon of oil in a large pan. Sweat the onion, the garlic and the chili for about 5 minutes. Stir in the orzo. Pour in part of the stock until the orzo is just submerged. Slowly simmer the orzo until all the stock is all taken into the orzo and then add more of the stock. Simmer for a total of approx. 12 minutes until it is cooked. Stir regularly.
Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a pan. Fry the pork loin golden brown and done until it reaches a core temperature of about 60⁰C. Take out of the pan and keep warm. Fry the zucchini in the hot oil for 5 minutes on high heat, add the tomatoes and mix together.
Stir the vegetables and the leftover Parmesan cheese into the orzo. Season with salt and pepper. Cut the pork loin in nice 1 cm medallions. Serve the orzo together with the pork loin medallions.
Source and inspiration: koken&genieten, mei 2021