Week #45 Wild mushroom orzo pilaf

Orzo is actually a kind of pasta ,but when cooked, it resembles long grai rice. But the taste is surely more on the lines of pasta, so its an interesting ingredient to cook with. That alongwith the porcini, shitake and crimini mushrooms give this dish a unique and distinct flavor. I topped it off with some goat cheese crumbles that gives it a tart and creamy flavor...

Ingredients :
Orzo- 2 cups cooked as per package instructions
Crimini mushrooms- 1/2 cup sliced
dried porcini and shitake- washed and soaked in hot water for 30 min
garlic- 1 tablespoon minced
shallots- 3 tablespoons minced
parsley- 2 tablespoons minced
butter- 2 tablespooons
goat cheese crumbles-3 tablespoons
Extra virgin olive oil- 2 tablespoons
salt and pepper as needed

Method:
Melt the butter in a pan. Add garlic and the shallots and let it slightly brown. Then add crimini mushrooms, salt and let cook. Take the soaked porcini and shitakes. Dont throw away the soaking liquid-that has a lot of flavor.Cut the dried porcini and shitake into smaller bits and add to the pan and cook on high heat for abt 3-4 minutes. Add the soaked liquid a bit at a time until all the mushrooms are well cooked. Now add the orzo and mix well. Add more salt and pepper as needed. Finally add the parsley and goat cheese crumbles and mix well. Add olive oil to top off and enjoy!