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1
In a bowl, rinse rice well. I like to massage the rice a couple of minutes in the water to remove the starch. The water should not be cloudy when you are done rinsing and straining. Soak the rinsed rice in a bowl of water for about 15 minutes.
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2
Meanwhile, get all the ingredients together.
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Head a medium-sized pot on medium heat. Add oil and let it come to temperature for a minute or more. Saute onions and garlic, stirring for a few minutes. Once onions begin to soften, add orzo and lightly toast. This should only take a couple of minutes. Just be sure you stir the mixture frequently before adding the rice. Add rice, half of the lemon juice, salt, and stock.
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Bring mixture to a boil, then cover, reduce heat to low, and cook for about 18-20 minutes. Take a peak around that time, but no sooner, and the liquid should be fully absorbed. Rice should be fluffy, not sticky.
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Once rice is fluffy, remove from heat, keep it covered, and let rest for about 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, remove the lid, add remaining lemon juice, and lemon zest if you are using it.
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Toss in dill weed, parsley, and give this a good stir. Taste and season with additional salt if necessary.
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The result is a rice dish that is not only light in texture, but it pops so well with the lemon and dill. Let's just say it is a really great dish for this time of year.
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Notes:
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If the rice is sticky, it's probably done and something probably went wrong. Don't get discouraged. It's rice and trust me, rice can be tricky.
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The question you may have is, should I just use my rice cooker? To be honest, I'm sure it would work fine. I've never used it for this particular recipe, but the rice cooker does wonders. If you have one and feel more comfortable, go for it and report back to me.
