Sesame Orzo and Peas

With an abundance of snow peas in the fridge, I looked up some recipes that would be simple and easy to make for lunch.  Since I have the summers off and HH is able to come home for lunch from the office just a block or two away, I like to have some food ready to eat when he gets home.  I found these two recipes and sort of combined them to make this delicious dish that I made at least once a week when we were getting peas from the CSA every week.

Trim and chop the peas.

Blanch in salted, boiling water for about 30 seconds to a minute.

Transfer to ice water to stop the cooking.

Add sesame oil to the peas.

Toast the sesame seeds.  This takes just a few seconds over a medium burner if the pan is already hot.

Add sesame seeds to the peas and sesame oil.

Meanwhile, boil the orzo in the same salted water.  It takes about 10 minutes to cook through.

Add the orzo and additional sesame oil and salt/pepper, if needed. 

We both prefer this dish cold but it is good warm too.  I think it would be a great dish to bring to a summer potluck.  You could also make up the peas without the orzo for a light side dish, or you could add some grilled chicken into the mix for a heartier dish.