One-Pot Campfire Lemony Tuna Orzo

By Sprig Originals ✓ · cooked up in Sprig

A whole dinner cooked in one pot over the fire, from pantry cans and a lemon. The orzo simmers straight in the tomatoey broth until it's creamy and saucy, then flakes of olive-oil tuna, salty kalamata olives and a big squeeze of lemon go in off the heat. Nothing needs a cooler, nothing needs draining, and there's exactly one pot to scrub at the water tap.

Ingredients

• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
• 2 tsp dried oregano
• 1 14 oz can diced tomatoes
• 3 cups water
• 1 1/2 cups dried orzo
• 2 5 oz cans tuna in olive oil, undrained
• 1/2 cup pitted kalamata olives, halved
• 1 lemon
• salt and black pepper

Instructions

1. Set a deep pot or camp Dutch oven on a grate over medium campfire coals, or on a portable stove over medium heat. Add the olive oil and the sliced garlic and cook, stirring, for 45 to 60 seconds, just until the garlic smells sweet and turns pale gold — do not let it brown.
2. Stir in the dried oregano, then the can of diced tomatoes with all its juice, the 3 cups water and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Bring to a full rolling boil, about 4 to 5 minutes.
3. Pour in the orzo and stir well so nothing sticks to the base. Cook at a steady bubble for 9 to 11 minutes, stirring every minute or so and scraping the bottom, until the orzo is tender and the liquid has thickened into a loose sauce. Slide the pot to a cooler edge of the fire if it is boiling too hard, and splash in a little more water if it tightens up before the orzo is done.
4. Lift the pot off the heat. Flake in the tuna along with its oil, then add the olives, the finely grated zest of the lemon and the juice of half of it. Fold through gently, cover, and let stand 3 minutes so the orzo drinks up the last of the sauce.
5. Taste and add salt, plenty of black pepper and more lemon juice as needed, then spoon straight from the pot into bowls or enamel mugs while hot.

Chef's tips

Nutrition (per serving, estimated)

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