Roasted Shrimp & Orzo salad

I was instantly addicted to this salad the first time I ate it, and ever since then it never fails to disappoint every time I make it.  The recipe comes from Ina Garten and it introduces a few genius techniques that make it extra delicious.  The first is to drench the hot, freshly cooked orzo in the lemon vinaigrette, causing it to soak up the flavor instantly.  The second is to roast the shrimp in olive oil, salt, and pepper.  This is by far the easiest way to cook a perfect shrimp and they taste amazing.  I had a hard time saving enough to toss into the salad.  The remaining ingredients- a combination of herbs, veggies, and feta cheese really make the dish come together.  We took this to a 4th of July cook-out this year and it was a huge hit.  I only changed a few slight things from Ina's recipe, and I assure you it turns out just as delicious!  The end result is a light and refreshing dish that could be served as a side dish or a main course.  

Ingredients:

• 1 pound orzo pasta (rice-shaped pasta)
• 1/2 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (should take about 3 lemons)
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1 1/2 pounds medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 1 cup minced scallions, white and green parts
• 1 cup chopped fresh dill
• 1 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 1 cucumber, peeled, seeded, and medium-diced
• 1/2 cup small-diced red onion
• 1/2 pound block of feta cheese, medium-diced
• Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

Directions:

Fill a large pot with water, add 1 tablespoon of salt and bring the water to a boil. Add the orzo and simmer for about 1 minute less than the recommended lowest number of minutes.  (If the box says 9-11 minutes cook them for 8) This will help you avoid over-cooking the pasta, considering it will keep cooking a bit more sitting in the pot.  While the orzo is cooking, whisk together the lemon juice, 1/3 cup olive oil, 2 teaspoons salt and 1 teaspoon of pepper. When the pasta is done, drain and return to the pot.  Immediately pour the lemon juice mixture over the hot pasta and stir well.  Keep orzo in the pot off heat to let it cool down while you prepare the rest of the ingredients.

To cook the shrimp, preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.  Place the shrimp on a foil-covered sheet pan, drizzle with olive oil, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Toss to combine and spread out in a single layer. Roast for about 4 minutes, until the shrimp are cooked through. You can tell once they start turning pink and have a somewhat firm touch to them that they are done.  Always err on the side of under- you can cook them for a minute longer if needed but you can't undo it once they are overcooked.  Try not to eat them all straight out from the oven!!

Add the shrimp to the orzo and then add the scallions, dill, parsley, cucumber, onion, 1 teaspoons salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Toss well and taste for more salt.  Add the feta and stir carefully. 

Set aside at room temperature for 1 hour to allow the flavors to blend, or refrigerate overnight. If refrigerated, bring back to room temperature before serving.

Berbere Spiced Hummus

After discovering a plethora of Ethiopian foods and spices at a little store 2 blocks away from us we decided to try a few new items.  I immediately grabbed the berbere, which I knew from eating the berbere beef from my favorite food truck.  We ended up with a sizable tub of it and it's become a spice that we use with a lot of foods.  Berbere is a spice blend and it's similar to a chili powder but along with the spicy chiles it could have paprika, garlic, ginger, cardamom, coriander, cinnamon, cloves, or more, all combined into one delicious red powder.  The version we got also has some nice heat.  I thought it would be a good addition to the hummus I was making for our superbowl party, and I was correct in my prediction.  It was also a great opportunity to try out a new hummus tip I had read about- peeling the chick peas.  There's an easily removable skin that pops right off of the chick pea if you squeeze it between your fingers.

We'd never been able to make a really smooth hummus and supposedly peeling the chick peas does the trick.  

I tried it out and we definitely noticed a big difference.  Our guests loved the final product!  And so did we.

Ingredients:

• 1 can chick peas (garbanzo beans)
• 2 teaspoons berbere spice (or more, to taste)
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 lemon, juiced
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/4 cup tahini
• 1/2 cup olive oil (or more... we didn't measure it)

Directions:

In a food processor, combine the chick peas, berbere, pepper, lemon juice, garlic, tahini, and 1/4 cup olive oil.  Pulse until well combined.  

homemade tahini

The mixture should be a bit dry.  Slowly add more olive oil until it smooths out to your desired consistency.  We didn't measure as we were doing this, but it seemed to be a lot.  Taste for more salt. Our berbere spice was slightly salty so I didn't need as much as I would usually use.  Serve with more berbere sprinkled on top and a drizzle of olive oil.  As always, homemade pita chips were the perfect pair to eat this delicious hummus!  The berbere spice was a nice change to your regular hummus recipe.  Double or triple the recipe for a larger crowd.  This amount is good as an appetizer for about 6 people.

Spicy Shrimp & Rice One-Pot Meal

Shrimp and rice is one of my favorite combinations so I immediately saved this recipe when I came across it a while ago.  I chose to make it recently as I was perusing dinner options, for it's simplicity and comforting appeal.  This dish is made in one pot and there's nothing complicated about it, making it a win-win.  The cayenne, tomatoes, and lemon juice all add a ton of flavor to the rice and shrimp, and when combined with the crumbled bacon, it's hard to top!  (Not to mention that the recipe starts with sauteing onions in bacon fat.)  The result is a tasty, comforting, and surprisingly light bowl of flavorful rice and perfectly cooked shrimp.  This is perfect for dinner but would also make a great brunch.
Ingredients:

• 2 cups long grain rice
• 1/2 lb sliced bacon, finely chopped
• 2 onions, finely diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• salt and pepper
• 3/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (or more)
  
• 3 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 can diced tomatoes
• lemon juice from half of a freshly squeezed lemon
• 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
• 2 lbs medium raw shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 1/4 cup finely chopped parsley
• lemon wedges, for serving

Directions:
Rinse and drain the rice- set to the side.  Meanwhile, cook the bacon in a large pot or dutch oven over medium heat, stirring occasionally until it starts to crisp and brown.  

Remove from the pot to drain on a paper towel, leaving at least 3 tablespoons of bacon fat in the pot.  Add the onions and 1/2 teaspoon salt and saute for about 5 minutes.  Add the garlic and cook 2 more minutes.  

Next, add the rice along with 1 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, nutmeg, and cayenne.  

Stir and cook for one minute.  Pour in the tomatoes with their juices, chicken broth, lemon juice, and Worcestershire sauce.  

Bring to a simmer and cover for 20-30 minutes.  Check after 20 minutes to see how cooked the rice is.  If it tastes like it's almost done, add the shrimp.  If it is still pretty al dente, let it cook a bit longer until the rice is almost done before adding the shrimp.  Stir them in and cook with the lid partially off the pot, stirring often. Leave the lid completely off if your mixture is a little soupy.  Add more broth if it starts to dry out. After 10 minutes the shrimp should be fully cooked through.  

Taste for more seasoning.  Serve immediately, with fresh parsley and a lemon wedge.

 

Tabbouleh Salad

Tabbouleh is one of the most popular salads in the Middle East- and now I know why.  I had seen it on restaurant menus, but was never really sure what it was.  After I watched Ina Garten make it on the Food Network one day, I was inspired to make it myself.  This version is made with bulgur wheat, lemon juice, fresh cucumber, mint, parsley, and green onion.  Mixing in feta cheese at the end adds some saltiness (and deliciousness) but the flavors of everything combined are amazing.  This salad is so fresh and healthy- it will definitely become a regular on our spring and summer menus. 

A note about bulgur wheat- this was a new ingredient for us, but we both really liked it.  It is a grain that has a texture similar to quinoa or cous cous and it is slightly nutty in taste.  In this recipe it is soaked in lemon juice, water, and olive oil, which gives it a wonderful flavor.  The best thing about it is the nutritional value- it is high in protein, fiber, and vitamins and minerals.  Also, it's a lot cheaper than quinoa.

Ingredients:

1 cup bulgur wheat

1 1/2 cups boiling water

Juice of 2 lemons (about 1/4 cup)

1/4 cup olive oil

1 English cucumber, seeded and diced

1 red pepper, diced

1 cup thinly sliced scallions (green and white parts)

1/2 cup chopped mint

1/2 cup chopped parsley

4 oz crumbled feta cheese (we used feta with peppercorns)

Kosher salt

Directions:

Place the bulgur wheat in a large bowl.  Pour in the boiling water, 1 teaspoon salt, the lemon juice, and the olive oil.  Cover and let it sit at room temperature for about an hour until all (or mostly all) the liquid has been absorbed. 

We still had a little bit of liquid in ours, but the bulgur wheat tasted like it was fully cooked.  The lemon juice and olive oil really give it a great flavor.

 Next, stir in your chopped vegetables and herbs.  Mix to combine well.  Finally, add the crumbled feta cheese.  Taste to see if it needs more salt or pepper.

Refrigerate until ready to eat- it does taste better after it's had some time to let all of the flavors come together, but there's nothing wrong with digging in right away.  This is a great dish to bring to your summer potluck!  We had ours along side Cuban spiced pork tenderloin.  

Scallops with Lemon Asparagus Risotto

Scallops are a special treat for us, mainly because they are so expensive, and you never know how fresh they are when you get them at the grocery store.  With a few more $25 off coupons to use with Arganica (organic food delivery service) I didn't feel so bad about spending $16 for a pound of fresh sea scallops.  One pound got us 18 scallops, ranging in size.  To go along with them, I wanted something that wouldn't out shine their fresh flavor, but still delicious in it's own right.  I decided on a lemon asparagus risotto that would be a creamy and bright contrast with the rich flavor of the scallops.   It was a great combination, the risotto was so good it could easily be a meal in itself.  But the scallops added another layer of decadence to the dish- they were amazing!  They got a nice brown sear using the cast iron skillet.  This isn't your average dinner... it takes time and special attention, but it is totally worth it in the end! 

Ingredients:

1 lb asparagus

fresh sea scallops (the number is up to you... we did 10 for two servings but it was a lot)

3 T grapeseed oil (or olive oil)

2 shallots, minced

1 1/2 cups arborio rice

1/2 cup white wine

1 lemon, zested and juiced

6 cups low sodium chicken or seafood stock

1 1/2 cups grated Pecorino Romano cheese

Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper

Directions:

Wash the asparagus, trim off the tough ends, and cut the stalks into 2 inch pieces.  Heat the chicken or seafood stock in a medium pot  with 2 teaspoons salt and bring to a boil.  Blanch the asparagus in the boiling stock for about 2 minutes, and drain it with a slotted spoon.  Set it to the side. Turn off the heat and leave the stock covered so it will be hot for the risotto.

In a large sauce pan, heat 2 tablespoons oil over medium heat and add the shallots and a sprinkle of salt.  Saute for about 5 minutes until they are soft and translucent.  Add the rice, and stir until all of the grains are coated in oil.  

Let it toast for a couple minutes, and then add the wine and stir, turn heat to medium-low.  Add half of the lemon juice to the mixture.  Once the wine has completely evaporated, begin adding the stock, one ladle-full at a time.  

Stir the risotto frequently.  Once each ladle-full of stock has been absorbed by the rice, you know to add another one.  Continue adding stock and stirring until the risotto is al dente.  I used just about all 6 cups of stock.  You may need slightly more or less to reach your desired consistency.  (Use water if you run out of stock).  The risotto should be very creamy- if it is a little stiff, just add a bit more of the stock to loosen it up.  It takes about 25-30 minutes to reach this final stage.  

Stir in the cheese, lemon zest, and asparagus.  Taste for salt and pepper. 

When your risotto is about 5-7 minutes away from being done, begin cooking the scallops.  Pat them dry with a paper towel.  Sprinkle salt and pepper on top.  Heat the remaining tablespoon of oil in a cast iron skillet over medium-high.  Turn it down to medium right before placing the scallops in.  Let them sit without touching for about 3-4 minutes.  

Carefully check to see if they are brown on the bottom before flipping.  Cook the other side for about 2 minutes and they should be done.  

Remove from the pan, and serve over a mound of risotto with some extra cheese and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice.  This combination of flavors is so amazing- enjoy!