Orzo With Lemon & Parsley

1.Heat the olive oil and gently sauté the shallots until soft and pale gold.

2.Add the garlic and cook for a further 2 minutes.

3.Add the stock and bring to the boil, then add the orzo. Increase the heat to medium and cook, uncovered, for eight minutes. You can stir it a couple of times to stop the pasta sticking, but try not to do so too much. By the end the stock should have been absorbed and the pasta become soft, but still with a little firmness.

4.Stir in the lemon zest, parsley and Parmesan cheese. Taste and season; you won't need much salt, if any, because of the reduced stock and the cheese.

5.Eat promptly; it gets sticky if it's kept waiting, although it does - amazingly - reheat well if you do it gently with a little more stock.