Jen's Delish Dishes

Mediterranean Orzo with Eggplant

17 Jul 2010 3 Comments

by Jen's Delish Dishes in Mediterranean Cuisine Tags: California Wines, Eggplant, Healthy Meals, Homemade Aoili, Jen's Delish Dishes, Nutritiondata.com, Orzo, Party Dishes, Recipes, Sole Food, Tasty

First off, let’s take a look at the nutrition packed in this easy-to-prepare dinner.  Our Mediterranean Orzo dish is an excellent complement to mild Sole fillets.  We love Sole because it is very light and offers an abundance of Protein, Calcium and Iron.

The Sole shown above were purchased frozen.  I keep these on hand for those nights when I just don’t want to spend a lot of time cooking, but want to serve a very healthy dinner.  Also keep on hand home-made aioli – “we’ve got a recipe for that!” which we’ll share later.  For now, use mayo with a tad bit of garlic.  Great dip for fish.

Today’s focus is on the Mediterranean Orzo recipe.  Nutritionally speaking, this is a great dish for all health food fans who relish flavor as much.  Orzo gives us the carbs, fiber and protein we need plus Calcium, Niacin, Folate and Iron.  Add to that the nutritional value of Eggplant, a very rich source of vitamins and minerals, and you’ve got a wonderfully healthy meal with just a few minutes of prep time.

Fortunately, we all enjoy international flavors and we’re all into trying new tastes and combinations.  That makes it particularly easy for me because it allows me the gift of creativity, not to mention taste-testers for dishes I will add to my party lists.

This taste test proved to be another addition to my very long list of party menu items.  Again, we had smiles all around and kudos to the chef d’oeuvre.  Love it.  You will too!   If you try it, please let me know how it goes.  I really enjoy hearing from you.

Ingredients:

6 frozen fish fillets (of your choice)

1-1/2 Cups Orzo Pasta

1 Cup Cherry Tomatoes (halved)

1/2 Cup Kalamata Olives (chopped)

1/4 Cup Lemon (fresh squeezed)

1/2 Cup Fresh Basil (chopped)

1/4 Cup Capers

2 Cloves Fresh Minced Garlic

2 Tbsp Virgin Olive Oil

1 Tsp Oregano

Pinch of Ground Black Pepper

Preparation:

Place fish in the oven and bake according to package instructions (about 15 minutes @ 350 degrees).  I use my oven timer so that I can move to next steps.

Peel Eggplant and cut into small cubes.  In a large frying pan, add  Virgin Olive Oil, add 1 tablespoon finely chopped garlic, a pinch of pepper and let saute until tender.   Remove from pan and place into a bowl with paper towel at bottom.  This  to drain off some of the oil.

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add the orzo and cook for 8 to 10 minutes until al dente.  You can mix all ingredients together while this is cooking.

Drain and rinse with cold water.  Place Orzo in a large bowl with Kalamata olives, capers, tomatoes, eggplant, lemon juice, oregano and basil and stir all ingredients together. Mix well, and if you prefer, add more olive oil to taste.   Voila!

In less than a half hour, you’ve got yourself a beautiful, healthy meal to serve to friends and/or family.  Add a glass of Pinot Blanc and enjoy!

~Jen~

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