May 30: Greek-Style Garlic Shrimp and Orzo

   Coarse salt
2/3 pound orzo
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus a drizzle
1 small red onion, chopped
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes6 garlic cloves, minced
1 pound small shrimp, deveined and peeled, tails removed
2 teaspoons lemon zest plus the juice of 1/4 lemon
1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
2 handfuls fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped
1/2 cup kalamata olives, pitted and chopped
2 tablespoons chopped fresh oregano leaves
1/4 cup white vermouth or 1/3 cup dry white wine
8 ounces feta cheese, crumbled

Heat a pot of water for the pasta. When the water boils, salt it and cook the pasta al dente.

Heat the 1/4 cup of EVOO in a large nonstick skillet, then add the onions, red pepper flakes, and garlic.

Cook for 2 minutes, then season the shrimp with the lemon zest, lemon juice, and a little salt. Add the shrimp and cook for a minute more. Add the cherry tomatoes, parsley, olives, and oregano, and season with salt and pepper. Cook until the shrimp are pink and firm. Add the white vermouth, then turn off the heat.

Drain the cooked orzo and drizzle with a touch of EVOO to keep it from sticking.

Serve the orzo topped with the feta crumbles and the shrimp mixture.

4 SERVINGS

I made this meal for lunch today instead of dinner last night. I was so tired after coming home from our trip that I didn't have the energy to cook. I slept about 10 hours, so I felt much better today. This meal was really good! I love orzo and the feta cheese was an added bonus. I skipped the shrimp, because I didn't buy enough. It was still really good, especially for lunch. If I made this for dinner again, I would put shrimp in it. The only thing I changed about this meal was that she didn't mention seasoning the shrimp or adding the wine, so I just added it back in. This is "another variation on the master recipe," Italian-Style Garlic Shrimp with Cherry Tomatoes and Thin Spaghetti. I think I like this one just a little better.