Hey,thanks DentonDoc, I'll give that a try next time as well

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Couscous is a coarsely ground semolina pasta.  It may be seasoned a variety of ways and many packaged products have a seasoning packet included.  The good news is that the version I use cooks up in under 10 minutes.  I sometimes add freshly blanched pine nuts to add a little extra "zing" to the dish. (They are also good raw.)

dd

I have never tried orzo before but it sounds simple and light. I thank you all for the recipes for they sound yummy and will be trying a couple the next time out. I have one questain though, what is coucous? Thank you again for the recipes

this is funny, i made a dish this year similar to your two recipies combined??
i cooked orzo in water flavored with veggie bullion cubes.
meanwhile, i pan fried some onions,chopped up rehydrated sun dried tomatoes and some Anchovy paste.(adds spice and saltiness).
when orzo was done, i drained and then added to pan and tossed to coat.
a little grated romano cheese finished it off.
i think next year instead of throwing back some of the small pike, i'll use what i can and cut into chunks and add to recipe??
pike, is firm and should stand up to hot pan without getting mushy??
i'm a BIG fan of recipies like this, couscous is a favorite as well!!
lot's of COMPLEX carbs for energy and tastes great as well.
it's also LIGHWEIGHT and packs small
ps. another trick i use with both orzo and coucous is to bring prime salmon or tuna in the small foil packs. it can be seasoned or not.
when the orzo is finished, i drain and add fish right to pot and stir to break up chunks.
the heat from orzo is plenty to warm fish.
the couscous, is easier becuase you don't have to drain.
either way you wind up with a one-pot side dish that will feed a hungry solo paddler or a side dish for couple or group!!
high in protein and complex carbs, the fuel for paddling!!
of course if you have fresh fish to add to pot, it's even better

one I borrow from my wife's book is a couple of chicken base cubes in the water/orzo. When the orzo is cooked, add reconstituted sun-dried tomatoes, porcini mushrooms, diced onion, garlic & olive oil to taste.  We top with a little grated moz. cheese and have a wonderful side dish.  Tastes great warm or at bag temp the next day for lunch.

Last night I was experimenting with Orzo (a rice-grain sized pasta) and concocted a dish where the orzo was dressed with a garlic and herb sauce.  The sauce calls for butter to be added, but I replace the butter with an olive oil and "Molly McButter" butter flavoring mixture.  The dish turned out very tasty.  Even the leftovers directly out of the frig. were good eatin'.

Cooking time is 8-10 minutes, making it one of the quicker pasta dishes I've run across.  I guess its due to the smaller size of the pasta, it cooks thru quicker.  

Since I'm always looking for relative easy main and/or side dishes, does anyone have other options they have tried using Orzo?  

I've seen it used as a soup ingredient and added to salads.  I'm guessing it would go great with Walleye fillets (what doesn't!).  

dd