This recipe comes from “Closet Cooking” – I first printed it when I saw it on Kevin’s blog, and as usual, it sat on my pile of “soon to make” recipes, waiting and waiting. Then, a couple of weeks ago I learned that that the Closet Cooking blog will be featured in a net-event called “Tried and Tasted”, so it was the perfect opportunity to make the dish and join the party!

BAKED SHRIMP AND FETA PASTA
(adapted from Closet Cooking)

Cook the orzo in boiling water until al dente. Do not overcook.

Heat the oil in a pan, saute the shallots until translucent, add the garlic and red pepper flakes, and saute for 30 seconds more.  Add the white wine, tomato and oregano, season with salt and pepper, and simmer until the sauce thickens, about 5 minutes.  Remove from the heat,  stir in the herbs and green onions. Mix the sauce, cooked orzo and shrimp,  place them in a baking dish and top with the feta cheese. Bake in a 425F oven until the shrimp is cooked and the sauce is bubbly, about 15 minutes.  If you want, run the dish quickly under the broiler before serving.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

Comments: Shrimp and feta  are perfect together. I often make a similar dish, in which I saute the shrimp, add them to a baking dish with diced tomatoes, herbs, and sprinkle feta on top.  However, I like Kevin’s approach better for two reasons:   first,  the shrimp is not sauteed beforehand, so it finishes with a more pleasant texture.  Secondly, the addition of orzo makes this recipe a complete meal. We ate it with a simple salad.

The original recipe called for green onions and fresh herbs – I thought I had some green onions in the fridge, but I didn’t, so I  skipped them.  And, since I’m making this dish in December, I had no fresh herbs, so I used dried oregano and thyme instead. I’m sure that the dish will be even better when made as originally posted. 😉   …Give it a try!

As  I mentioned before, I always soak the shrimp in a light brining solution before cooking, a trick learned from Chinese cookbooks that ensures a plumper texture.  Since the only shrimp we have are frozen, this step makes a huge difference.

So, with this post I participate for the first time in the Tried and Tasted event, which was launched by Zlamushka in April 2008. You can read more about it by clicking here.

CANTINHO BRASILEIRO

ORZO COM CAMARAO E QUEIJO FETA

1 xícara de macarrao tipo orzo
1 colher de sopa de óleo
1 cebola bem picadinha
1 dente de alho picado
1 / 2 colher de chá de pimenta vermelha
1 / 4 de xícara de vinho branco
1  + 1 / 2 xícaras de tomate picados
1 colher de chá orégano
sal e pimenta a gosto
1 / 4 xícara de ervas frescas (salsa, manjericão, hortelã … sua escolha!)
2 cebolinhas, cortadas em fatias finas
1 / 2 quilo de camarão, descascado e limpo
1 / 2 xícara de queijo feta

Cozinhe o orzo em água salgada até ficar al dente. Não deixe cozinhar demais.

Aqueça o azeite em uma panela, refogue a cebola ate’ que comece a amolecer;  adicione o alho e a pimenta vermelha e refogue por mais 30 segundos. Adicione o vinho branco, tomate e orégano, tempere com sal e pimenta e deixe ferver até engrossar o molho, cerca de 5 minutos. Retire do fogo, misture as ervas e a cebolinha.   Misture o molho, orzo e camarão cozido, coloque-os em uma assadeira e polvilhe com o queijo feta. Asse em forno bem quente até que o camarão esteja cozido e o molho comece a borbulhar em volta – cerca de 15 minutos.