Shrimp and vegetable skewers with orzo (greek menu 5)

6 Servings

Ingredients

Quantity Ingredient
24 Boiling onions
2 cups Chicken stock or canned low-salt broth
¼ cup Ouzo (unsweetened anise liqueur) or, dry white wine
2 tablespoons Minced garlic
1 tablespoon Extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon Minced fresh oregano or 1 tsp. dried, crumbled
Ground saffron
1½ pounds Uncooked shrimp; peeled, deveined
4 smalls Zucchini; cut into 1\" long pieces
2 larges Red bell peppers; cut into, 1\" squares
1½ large Yellow bell peppers; cut into, 1\" squares
18 Bamboo skewers; soaked 30 minutes, in water
1 cup Orzo; (rice-shaped pasta)

Directions

Bring large saucepan of water to boil. Add onions and boil 5 minutes.

Drain. Cool and peel onions. Mix ½ cup stock, ouzo, garlic, oil, oregano and generous pinch of saffron in large bowl. Add onions, shrimp, zucchini and bell peppers; toss to coat. Season with salt and pepper. Refrigerate 2 hours, tossing occasionally. Remove shrimp and vegetables from marinade: reserve marinade. Thread 4 shrimp on each of 6 skewers. Alternate vegetables on 12 skewers using 3 red bell pepper squares, 2 onions, 2 yellow bell pepper squares and 2 zucchini pieces for each. (Can be made 4 hours ahead. Cover and chill skewers and marinade separately.) Pour reserved marinade into heavy medium saucepan. Add 1½ cups stock; bring to boil. Stir in orzo and generous pinch of saffron. Reduce heat, cover and simmer until orzo is tender and liquid is absorbed, stirring occasionally, about 20 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Meanwhile, preheat broiler.

Place vegetables on baking sheet. Broil 6 inches from heat source until vegetables are light brown and crisp- tender, turning every 3 minutes, about 15 minutes. Place on plate; tent with foil. Place shrimp on baking sheet and broil until cooked through, about 3 minutes per side.

Spoon orzo onto plates. Top with 2 vegetable skewers and 1 shrimp skewer NOTES : Part of Greek Dinner for 6. Poached dried figs topped with honeyed yogurt makes a great dessert. Serve with White Bean Skordalia with Pita crisp for appetizer and Fennel, RTed Onion and Tangerine Salad.

Recipe by: Lon Hall

Posted to MC-Recipe Digest V1 #809 by Roberta Banghart <bobbi744@...> on Sep 26, 1997

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