In a saucepan, melt down the butter over medium-low heat. Add the shallots and sweat until translucent, then add the garlic and cook for an additional minute.
Add the orzo to the pan and turn the heat up to medium. Allow the orzo to toast while stirring. You can go lighter or heavier with the toasting. As the orzo browns, it will develop a nutty flavor.
Turn down the heat back down to medium-low and stir in the corn kernels, lemon juice and thyme.
Add 1/4 cup of water. Stir frequently to prevent the orzo from sticking to the bottom of the pan. As the water absorbs, continue to add more in 1/4 cup increments until there's approximately 1/4 cup remaining.
Remove from the heat and stir in the rest of the water, pine nuts (if using) and seasonings.
Garnish with thyme and serve.
Notes
I love Penzeys Spices. Their spice blends are especially great and Sunny Paris is one of my favorites. It's great on eggs, pasta, pizza, etc. The ingredients are dried shallots, chives, green peppercorns, dill weed, basil, tarragon, chervil and bay leaf.This is not a sponsored statement :)