This cheerful casserole makes a wonderful, quick and delicious dinner any day of the week! Juicy steak and orzo pasta are flavoured with Jamaican jerk seasoning, ginger and garlic. Roasted sweet bell peppers, fresh coriander leaves and lime add an uplifting, summery feel.
The Flavour Affair:
Steak + Ginger + Garlic + Jamaican Jerk + Bell Peppers + Tomatoes + Cilantro + Lime + Orzo
A bright and scrumptious combination that brings the vibrant flavours of the Caribbean to your dinner table!
Steak: use a good quality steak such as striploin, ribeye or bavette (flap) for a tender, juicy outcome.
Ginger and Garlic: if you have time, grate or mince them fresh. Otherwise, you can use a store bought paste.
Jamaican Jerk: this is a warm and pungent seasoning featuring a selection of sweet spices and hot chili powder. In the heart of it are allspice berries, and other ingredients include cloves, cinnamon, peppercorns, dried thyme and cayenne pepper. Although I always advocate for the home made version, this mix is easily available in many big supermarkets.
Bell peppers: in this recipe, they are roasted separately to ensure optimum texture – tender and juicy but not too soft.
Strained tomatoes create a savory, slightly tart base for the sauce.
Cilantro adds a bright, fresh aroma, while a drizzle of lime juice finishes it off with a little tang.
Orzo pasta is great here. Its small ‘grains’ similar in shape to rice quickly soak up all the amazing flavours.
Preparation tips for Steak and Orzo:
- Start by marinating the steak. It does not need much – half an hour is enough for the marinade flavours to impart. Keep the meat at room temperature.
- In the meantime, chop the bell pepper, drizzle with a little oil and roast or air fry.
- While the steak is marinating and the capsicum is roasting, you can turn to orzo. Fry garlic and ginger until aromatic, add tomatoes, salt and the seasoning. Stir in the orzo and add water or stock.
- Cooking orzo is in a way similar to making risotto. You add stock ladle by ladle, wait for the pasta to absorb the liquid and then add some more until it’s done to al dente.
- Now that the orzo is ready and the bell pepper has finished roasting, heat a grill pan to high, add a splash of oil and fry the steaks to your liking. Allow to rest for a couple of minutes, slice and tuck into the casserole together with the capsicum. Voilà!
- You can also throw in a couple of red onions to the roasting tray. Their sweet pungency and crunch make a nice addition to the dish.
The best part of this recipe is that it is easily customizable. You can alternate spices and aromatics and get a new makeover every time. For instance, swap Jamaican jerk for herbs of Provence, add olives and feta cheese and enjoy the Mediterranean feel. Or use one of Middle Eastern blends such as Baharat or Hawaij for a completely different flavour profile.
Looking for more recipes with orzo? Make sure to check out this delicious Orzo with Chorizo and White Fish!
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Steak and Orzo with Jamaican Jerk, Ginger and Garlic
Equipment
- 1 iron cast casserole
- 1 grill pan
- 1 Roasting tray or air fryer
Ingredients
For the steak:
- 250 g quality steak such as bavette, rib eye or striploin
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1/2 tbsp each fresh minced ginger and garlic
- 2 tsp Jamaican jerk seasoning
- 1/2 tsp salt
- Oil for frying
For the orzo:
- 1 large red bell pepper chopped
- 2 small red onions quartered (optional)
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 4 tbsp strained tomatoes
- 1 tsp each minced garlic and ginger
- 1 tsp Jamaican jerk seasoning
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 300 g orzo
- 500 ml chicken or vegetable stock
- Fresh coriander leaves for garnish
- Lime wedges for garnish
Instructions
- Mix together 2 tbsp of olive oil, 1/2 tsp each minced garlic and ginger, 2 tsp Jamaican jerk seasoning and 1/2 tsp salt. Rub the steaks with the mixture and marinate for 30 minutes at room temperature.
- Drizzle bell peppers and onions with a little olive oil, season with salt and pepper and roast in oven for 20 minutes at 200C. (Or use an air fryer for 8-10 minutes at 180C).
- Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a casserole. Fry 1 tsp each of minced garlic and ginger until just aromatic, add the Jamaican jerk season and salt.
- Add the strained tomatoes and give it all a good mix.
- Stir in the orzo, add 300ml of stock and bring to simmer.
- Once the pasta has absorbed all liquid, add more stock. Keep adding little by little until orzo is cooked to al dente.
- Meantime, grill or fry the steaks to medium or medium rare. Allow to rest for 3-4 minutes.
- Slice and tuck into the casserole with orzo.
- Add grilled vegetables, garnish with coriander and lime juice and serve.
