Tomato Orzo Risotto with Saffron, Mushrooms and Chorizo

📝 Ingredients

• 12 cherry tomatoes cut in half
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 garlic clove
• 100 g spanish chorizo (or italian chorizo)
• 100 g brown onion (finely chopped)
• 2 garlic cloved (finely minced, ground or grated)
• pinch saffron
• 300 g canned tomato (+ the tomato juice that it comes in**)
• 200 g portobello mushrooms (or white button mushrooms)
• 200 g whipping cream
• 4 sprigs thyme (leaves only)
• 200 g orzo / risoni pasta
• salt and pepper

👨‍🍳 Instructions

1. 1--- For the roasted cherry tomatoes ---
2. 2Place the tomatoes and garlic clove in a baking dish. Season with salt and pepper and mix with the olive oil. Take to a preheated oven at 200C for 20-30min or until soft and starting to become golden. Set aside.
3. 3--- For the orzo risotto ---
4. 4Toast the saffron on low heat mixing constantly. When you feel its aroma remove from the pan and set aside.
5. 5Cut the chorizo in half moons and cook on medium-low heat to allow it to release its fat. Once cooked remove and set aside.
6. 6Cook the onion in the fat from the chorizo until soft and translucent. If you're going to make this into a veggie dish use olive oil instead and skip the chorizo.
7. 7Add garlic and cook for a minute.
8. 8Add the sliced mushrooms and cook until they release liquid and it all evaporates.
9. 9Add the tomatoes along with its juices to the pan and heat up. When you see steam coming out add the cream, salt, pepper, thyme and saffron.
10. 10Cook until 1/3 of the liquid has evaporated and it becomes creamy.
11. 11Add the cooked orzo or risoni. It should be cooked a bit before al dente. If you took it out of the water a while before make sure to mix it with olive oil so it doesn't stick. Finish cooking in the sauce.
12. 12Serve with the roasted cherry tomatoes and parmesan to taste.