Orzo al Limone with Grilled Clams

You will be busy once the orzo starts cooking so it’s best to chop the herbs and grate the cheese before turning on the oven.

In a medium saucepan melt 3 TBSP butter until foamy but not browned or burned.

Add the onion and sauté until translucent, 5 – 7 minutes.

With a paring knife, cut 3 strips of lemon peel (3 inches x ½ inch). Zest the remainder of the peel and set aside. Cut the peeled lemon in half and set aside.

Add the orzo, lemon strips, and ¼ tsp. pepper to the butter and stir to cover all the orzo with butter. Cook for 2 minutes before adding 1 cup water and 1 tsp. salt.

Cook orzo over medium heat, uncovered. Start out with a boil and reduce heat to simmer. Add the remaining ¼ cup water if needed, cooking heat will determine whether it is needed or not.

*At about this stage you want the grill hot and to start the clams.

When orzo is El dente, about 10 minutes and the water is mostly absorbed, add the remaining TBSP of butter, gently incorporate and then add the Parmesan Cheese, ¼ tsp. pepper and fresh herbs. At this point be gentle with the orzo so it doesn’t become mush. Two forks may work well.

Add a few TBSP of water if the orzo looks sticky or gummy. It should be creamy and loose.

Place orzo in a serving dish, top with clams, a drizzle of good finishing olive oil, lemon zest and squeeze ½ a lemon juice over top. Toss so that some clams have a little orzo in them and serve immediately.

Preheat the barbeque to 450. The clams will take 8 – 10 minutes to cook.

Place clams on a grill grate and place on barbeque with cover closed.

After 5 minutes start checking the clams. They will “pop” as they open and once open, you can remove them from the grill and place on a serving platter. The grill won’t be closed all the time from here on in. Keep checking and removing cooked clams.

Once all/most clams have opened (about 8 – 10 minutes), discard any that haven’t.