Marigold Orzo with Roasted Tomatoes

Sometimes you’re just in the mood for a bowl of pasta, a.k.a., comfort food for one. Even though it’s 90° right now, this recipe still works, as it highlights four ingredients that come straight from the garden: marigold blossoms, sage leaves, tomatoes, and shallots. It’s rich and savory, with the butter and salt mellowing everything out. The marigold add visual warmth, too. 

I suspect it’ll be even better once there’s a chill in the air.

Time: 30 minutes
Serves: 1 (or 2, if you want to share this as a light appetizer)

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup orzo pasta

• 3 small plum tomatoes or 6 cherry tomatoes, sliced in half

• Olive oil and salt for roasting

• 3 tbsp butter

• 1 shallot, minced

• 1/3 cup gem marigold petals, from around 50 flowers, green stems removed

• 1 sage leaf, cut into strips (chiffonade)

• 1/4 tsp salt, more to taste

• Pepper to taste

Bring a large pot of salted water to boil and add the orzo. Cook until al dente, about 10 minutes. Drain in a colander and reserve until later.

Place the sliced tomatoes on a lined baking tray and drizzle them with olive oil and salt. Move a rack into the middle of the oven, add the tray, and broil on high for 8-10 minutes, just until the tomatoes start to char. Remove and let the tomatoes rest on the tray while completing the other steps. 

In a small sauce pan, melt the butter over medium-low heat until it starts to bubble and froth. Add the shallots and cook gently until it softens (and smell delicious). Add the marigold petals, sage leaf, and salt, and cook for a few minutes more. Turn off the heat, add the orzo to the sauce pan, and mix it with the butter sauce until evenly incorporated. Taste and add more salt if needed. 

Transfer to a bowl (or bowls, if sharing), add the roasted tomatoes, and grind some fresh pepper over the pasta before eating.

Note: I want to to try this recipe with twice the amount of shallots, marigold petals, and sage leaves. If those ratios are better, I’ll update the recipe. It’s still good as is, but I think it’d be even more decadent and flavorful.