Seared shrimp sitting on a bed of creamy lemon orzo with a creamy white wine and parmesan sauce, makes a fantastic quick weeknight dinner. The bell pepper adds a bit of sweetness to balance the Cajun seasoning and the fresh herbs bring a brightness to finish the dish.
This is a little bit of a southern dish due to the Cajun seasoning, but don't worry, spicy might be a stretch for the description, but it does have a slight kick. Spicy just sounded better than Shrimp with a Slight Kick.
Feel free to swap the shrimp for scallops to change it up. A little fresh spinach might also be a good addition.
MawMaw says this is one of her favorite meals!
Ingredients:
1 pound orzo pasta
5 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
juice from a lemon
1/2 cup fresh basil, chopped
2 pounds raw shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 tablespoon plus 1-2 teaspoons Cajun seasoning (Slap Ya Mamma is recommended)
kosher salt and black pepper
1 tablespoon salted butter
2 bell peppers, chopped (1 red and 1 yellow add nice color to the dish)
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves
1.5 tsp cornstarch
1/2 cup dry white wine, such as Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc
1 cup milk or heavy creamy
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
Directions:
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the orzo to al dente, according to package directions. Drain and add it right back to the hot pot. Add 2 tablespoons olive oil, 1/4 cup basil, lemon juice, and season with salt.
While the pasta is cooking, toss the shrimp with 1 tablespoon olive oil and 1 tablespoon Cajun seasoning.
In a large skillet set over medium-high heat, add 1 tablespoon olive oil. Add the shrimp and cook on both sides until seared, about minutes per side. Add the butter, then remove the shrimp from the pan.
Add the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil, bell peppers, garlic, and thyme. Cook another 2 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium-low and pour in the wine. Simmer over medium heat for 2-3 minutes.
Add the cornstarch to a little cold water and stir to combine.
Add the milk, parmesan, Cornstarch slurry and 2 teaspoons Cajun seasoning. Season with pepper. Salt is probably not needed if you are using Slap Ya Mamma.
Slide the shrimp & butter mixture into the sauce, simmer 5 minutes until the sauce has thickened slightly. Remove from the heat.
Spoon the orzo onto plates, then add the shrimp and sauce over the orzo. Top with fresh basil.
Notes:
Servings = 4
Original recipe - Spicy Southern Style Shrimp with Lemon Basil Orzo. - Half Baked Harvest