Roasted Garlic Orzo with Chicken Sausage

ROASTED GARLIC ORZO W/ ITALIAN SAUSAGE & SPINACH

If you've never roasted a whole head of garlic with the intention of squeezing the rich, caramelized cloves on to your palate, you're missing out. While even I'll admit that any recipe with a whole head of garlic might be a bit much, I'll always roast the entire thing anyways. The leftovers are a delicious treat and even better when spread across some crusty bread. 

So here's your chance.

Before I continue, I feel I need to make a statement regarding my second pasta-based recipe on the blog.  I never eat pasta (unless I'm in Italy or make it from scratch).  I'm also in denial of the fact that cous cous is pasta.  

But, a busy weekend left me shopping at Target for groceries and there was no cous cous to be found. Not even that wimpy north African variety.  Shame on them.  What they did offer was *shifty eyes* Giada de Laurentis branded pasta.  I was forced to confront the reality that cous cous and orzo are pretty much identical.  So, inspired by my Sartre reading for grad school this week, through the act of purchasing said orzo I self-actualized and transcended my denial.  

The existential crisis continues.  Pre-cooked spinach and garlic chicken sausage was also purchased.  I was taken by its low calorie nutrition information, and denied to myself that the ridiculously high salt content.














Such is the human condition.

Ingredients (makes 4 servings):

• 8 oz. orzo
• 1/2 large bag of spinach
• 1 1/2 cups halved cherry tomatoes
• 1 head of garlic
• Three links of chicken sausage (or any other grilled protein of your choice)

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.  Remove the outer skin from a head of garlic.  Cut a small amount off the top, exposing the cloves.  Rub in a little oil and wrap in aluminum foil.  Place in the oven for 20 minutes (should be ready by the time the other ingredients are finished).

Get your orzo all cooked and strained.  Set aside.  Cook your protein through in a frying pan (seasoning it appropriately).  Remove from pan and set aside.  Sautee the spinach in the same pan with 1/2 tablespoon of olive oil, adding salt and pepper.  Add tomatoes.  Slice your protein (if needed) and re-introduce it to the pan.  Once it is all cooked to the degree you prefer, add the orzo.  Adding the orzo to the pan, rather than the cooked ingredients into the orzo, holds more flavor.

Remove the garlic from the oven, and peel the skin of the garlic cloves.  Incorporate as many as you want into the orzo.  Three?   Four?  Consume the remainder before serving.