Grilled Sausage & Veggie Orzo
1-2 tbsp avocado oil
1 medium red bell pepper, halved or cut into ½" thick strips
1 medium orange bell pepper, halved or cut into ½" thick strips
1 red or yellow onion, peeled and quartered (or cut into thick slices)
1 medium zucchini, cut into ½" thick rounds or strips
4 fully cooked spicy chicken sausage links (I like Bilinski's or Whole Foods brand best!)
1 tsp garlic powder
Freshly ground salt and pepper
8 oz orzo pasta (1 cup dried orzo)
1/3 cup reserved pasta water
¼ cup salted butter
1/2 cup goat cheese crumbles
8-10 large basil leaves, julienned (about 1/3 cup packed basil
Freshly ground salt and pepper, to taste
1. First grill your veggies: preheat grill to 400 degrees. Place veggies in a large bowl, then drizzle them with oil, garlic powder and season with salt and pepper.
2. Poke holes into a large piece of foil and put on grill. Place chopped veggies onto foil. Grill for approximately
10-15 minutes.
3. Place the sausage links directly on the grill and rotate every couple minutes to get the grill marks all over.
4. Place all of your cooked veggies and links on a pan and take back inside.
5. Make your brown butter: add butter to a large saucepan or skillet and place over medium heat. The butter will begin to melt, crackle, and then eventually foam. Make sure you stir constantly during this process.
After a couple of minutes, the butter will begin to brown and turn a nice golden amber color on the bottom of the saucepan, this usually happens right when it foams. Continue to whisk and remove from heat as soon as the butter begins to brown and give off a nutty aroma. Set aside to cool a bit (keeping butter in the pan but removing pan from heat) while you cook your pasta.
6. Cook your pasta according to the directions on the package.
7. Chop all your veggies and sausage links into bite size pieces.
8. Once pasta is done cooking, reserve 1/3 cup pasta water and set aside, then drain the pasta and add it to the skillet with the brown butter. Give it a nice stir to coat all the pasta with the brown butter, then immediately add in the goat cheese and reserved pasta water; stir until nice and creamy and the goat cheese has melted.
Finally, add in all the chopped grilled veggies and sausage, and generously season with salt and pepper to taste. Finally fold in the fresh julienned basil. Serve immediately. This pasta is excellent served warm or cold.
