Cheesy Asparagus With Creamy Tomato Orzo

Boil a kettle

Peel and dice your brown onion[s], then peel and finely chop (or grate) your garlic

Chop your cherry tomatoes in half, then trim the woody ends off your asparagus (Tip: Alternatively, bend the woody ends of the asparagus until they snap!)

Added chicken? Cook at 220°C / 200°C (fan) / gas 7 for 18-20 min

Dissolve your vegetable stock mix in 500ml [650ml] [1L] boiled water – this is your stock

Grate your cheddar cheese finely

Heat a large, dry, wide-based pan (preferably non-stick) over a medium heat

Once hot, add your pumpkin seeds and cook for 2-3 min or until toasted and lightly golden

Tip: Watch them like a hawk to make sure they don't burn!

Once golden, transfer the pumpkin seeds to a bowl and reserve the pan

Return the reserved pan to a medium heat with a drizzle of olive oil

Once hot, add the diced onion with a pinch of salt and cook for 4-5 min or until beginning to soften

Once slightly softened, add the halved tomatoes and chopped garlic and cook for a further 4-5 min or until the tomatoes have softened

Once softened, add your orzo and cook for 1 min, stirring to coat the grains

Add the stock to the pan and bring to the boil over a high heat

Once boiling, reduce the heat to medium-low and cook, covered, for 12-15 min or until cooked through

Tip: Stir the orzo occasionally to stop it from sticking

Once the orzo is cooked, stir through your soft cheese and the 1/3 of the grated cheese and cook for a final 2-3 min – this is your creamy tomato orzo

When the orzo has 7 min left, heat a separate, wide-based pan (preferably non-stick) over a medium-high heat

Once hot, add the trimmed asparagus and cook for an initial 4 min, then sprinkle over the remaining grated cheese

Cook for a further 3 min or until the cheese has melted and begun to crisp up on the bottom – this is your cheesy asparagus