Ouzo Dill Shrimp Recipes

ROASTED SHRIMP AND ORZO

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• Fill a large pot with water, add 1 tablespoon of salt and a splash of oil, and bring the water to a boil. Add the orzo and simmer for 9 to 11 minutes, stirring occasionally, until it's cooked al dente. Drain and pour into a large bowl. Whisk together the lemon juice, 1/2 cup olive oil, 2 teaspoons salt and 1 teaspoon of pepper. Pour over the hot pasta and stir well.
• Meanwhile, place the shrimp on a sheet pan, drizzle with olive oil, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Toss to combine and spread out in a single layer. Roast for 5 to 6 minutes, until the shrimp are cooked through. Don't overcook!
• Add the shrimp to the orzo and then add the scallions, dill, parsley, cucumber, onion, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper. Toss well. 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, taste again for seasonings and bring back to room temperature before serving.

OUZO SHRIMP

Steps:

• Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat.
• Add onions and garlic and sauté for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally until the onions are tender but not browned.
• Stir in tomatoes,parsley,oregano,salt, pepper, and sugar.
• Simmer, uncovered,over low heat for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• *Can be made ahead to this point. Cover and refrigerate up to 24 hours.
• In a large bowl, combine shrimp and lemon juice and toss until well coated; set aside.
• In a medium saucepan heat 2 quarts of water to boiling.
• Drain shrimp and drop into boiling water.
• Return water to a boil (shrimp should just be turning pink); drain shrimp.
• Place shrimp in a bowl and pour ouzo over them.
• *Can be prepared ahead to this point. Cover and refrigerate up to 12 hours.
• In a large skillet heat the tomato sauce.
• Add cooked shrimp and ouzo; continue cooking just until shrimp are heated through.
• Transfer to individual ramekins or dishes, sprinkle with cheese, and serve immediately.

SHRIMP IN A SKILLET WITH CREAMY TOMATO-OUZO SAUCE

Steps:

• 1. Using a sharp paring knife, remove the threadlike vein from the shrimp. Wash, drain, sprinkle with lemon juice, and set aside in the refrigerator until ready to use.
• 2. Heat 2 tablespoons of the butter in a large skillet. When the butter stops bubbling, add the onion and cook over medium-low heat until very soft, or 10 to 12 minutes. Add the garlic and stir for a minute or so. While the onion is cooking, pulverize the tomatoes in a food processor until smooth. Add them to the skillet. Cook the tomato-onion mixture over medium heat until thick, about 8 minutes. Add the ouzo and let simmer for another 3 minutes. Drain the shrimp and add them to the skillet. Simmer for about 4 minutes, or until the shrimp firm up and turn pink. Add the cream, season with salt and pepper, and stir well but gently to combine. Just before removing from heat, add the last dab of butter. Serve hot.
• Additional tip from Peter Spyropoulos, executive chef/owner of En Plo restaurant in New York City:
• • Look for an ouzo with a strong anise flavor, such as Boutari, available in many liquor stores.

GRILLED SHRIMP WITH LEMON-DILL BUTTER AND ORZO SALAD

Steps:

• Place lemon juice in a small non-reactive saucepan and reduce to 3 tablespoons. Place the butter in a medium bowl, add the lemon syrup and dill, then season with salt and pepper to taste. Mix well and scrape into a ramekin. Refrigerate for 1 hour.
• Whisk together the zest, juice, oil, dill, and garlic, then season with salt and pepper, to taste. Mix the pasta, cheese, peppers, olives, and scallions together in a bowl. Pour the vinaigrette over and mix to combine. Add the oregano and season with salt and pepper, to taste.
• Preheat grill to high. Toss the shrimp in some olive oil and season with salt and pepper to taste. Thread 5 shrimp on a skewer, bending the shrimp so that the skewer passes through it twice. Grill, turning once for 4 to 5 minutes. Remove the shrimp from the grill to a large platter and brush generously with Lemon-Dill Butter. Garnish with fresh dill.

GREEK MILLET SAGANAKI WITH SHRIMP AND OUZO

Steps:

• 1 To prepare the millet, bring the water, millet, bay leaf, and salt to a boil in a 2-quart saucepan. Decrease the heat to maintain a simmer, cover, and cook until the water is absorbed, about 15 minutes. Remove from the heat and let sit, covered, for 5 to 10 minutes. Uncover, remove the bay leaf, and set aside to cool.
• 2 Meanwhile, make the saganaki. Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven or large heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat until it shimmers. Add the onion, garlic, chile, and salt; cook, stirring frequently, until the onion softens and turns light golden, about 5 minutes. Add the tomato paste and cook, stirring, until it darkens, about 1 minute. Add the tomatoes with their juices and the pepper; bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Decrease the heat to maintain a light boil and cook, uncovered, for 3 minutes.
• 3 Stir in the millet and green olives. Taste for salt and pepper and adjust (keeping in mind that olives and feta cheese can be quite salty). Remove the pot from the heat, sprinkle with the feta, and cover to allow the cheese to soften.
• 4 To prepare the shrimp, season them with salt and pepper. Heat the olive oil in a 12-inch skillet over high heat until it shimmers. Add the shrimp. Cook, undisturbed, until the shrimp turn golden, 1 to 2 minutes, and then flip them with a spatula and cook until they are just opaque throughout, 1 to 2 more minutes, depending on the size. Add the ouzo and cook until syrupy, about 30 seconds. Using a spatula, briskly remove the shrimp from the pan and arrange on top of the millet. Sprinkle with the parsley and serve at once.

DILLED SHRIMP (REJER)

Steps:

• Bring water to a boil in a large pot over high heat. Add salt, sugar, and dill sprigs; stir until sugar has dissolved. Pour in shrimp and cook until the shells turn pink, and the meat is no longer translucent, 3 to 4 minutes. Strain the shrimp through a colander, discard dill sprigs, and chill until cold in the refrigerator, about 30 minutes.
• Once shrimp have cooled, peel and devein them; discard the shells. Whisk together oil, vinegar, minced dill, salt, and pepper; toss with shrimp meat to coat. Cover, and chill overnight in the refrigerator; serve with sprigs of fresh dill.

ONE-POT SHRIMP SCAMPI ORZO

Steps:

• Combine olive oil, lemon zest, lemon juice, red pepper flakes, and dried parsley in a small bowl. Add shrimp and toss to coat. Marinate for 15 to 20 minutes.
• Melt butter in a pot over medium-high heat. Add olive oil. Stir in orzo and onion, toss to coat, and cook, stirring frequently, until onions are translucent and orzo is lightly toasted, 4 to 5 minutes. Mix in garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
• Deglaze pot with white wine and stir until wine has cooked off. Pour in chicken broth and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, until orzo is tender yet firm to the bite, 8 to 10 minutes. Add peas and shrimp with marinade to the pot, cover, and cook, stirring occasionally, until shrimp are light pink, 3 to 4 minutes.
• Divide between 2 dishes, sprinkle with fresh parsley, and garnish with lemon slices.

LEMON-DILL SHRIMP WITH GRECIAN ORZO SALAD

Steps:

• TO MAKE THE VINAIGRETTE:.
• In a small bowl, whisk together the lemon zest, lemon juice, olive oil, dill, garlic, salt and pepper.
• Place the shrimp in a medium bowl.
• Pour 1/4 cup of the vinaigrette over the shrimp and toss to coat thoroughly. Cover with plastic wrap and marinate in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes.
• TO MAKE THE SALAD:.
• Bring a medium saucepan three-quarters full of salted water to a boil.
• Add the orzo pasta and cook until al dente. Drain and place in a bowl.
• Add the remaining vinaigrette and the feta cheese and toss well.
• Add the bell pepper, kalamata olives, scallions, and oregano. Toss again.
• Thread 4 shrimp onto each skewer, bending each shrimp almost in half so that the skewer passes through it twice.
• Place the shrimp directly over high heat and grill, turning once, until the shrimp is just opaque inside with lightly browned edges, 4 to 5 minutes total.
• Serve the shrimp immediately over the pasta.

LEMON SHRIMP ORZO

Steps:

• In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add onion; cook and stir until crisp-tender, 3-4 minutes. Add garlic; cook 1 minute longer. Stir in broth, orzo and water. Bring to a boil; reduce heat. Simmer, uncovered, until orzo is al dente, 8-10 minutes., Stir in shrimp, arugula, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Cook and stir until shrimp turn pink, 4-5 minutes. Stir in olives. Sprinkle with feta and basil leaves.

SHRIMP SCAMPI WITH ORZO

Steps:

• In a medium bowl, stir together shrimp, 1 tablespoon olive oil, lemon zest, red-pepper flakes, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper and half the garlic. Set aside to marinate. (This step can be done up to 1 hour in advance.)
• Add butter, remaining olive oil and remaining garlic to a medium skillet set over medium heat. When the butter starts to bubble, add the orzo and 1/2 teaspoon salt and cook, stirring often, until the orzo is toasted, about 2 minutes, adjusting the heat as necessary to prevent the garlic from burning. Carefully add the wine - it will bubble - and stir until absorbed, about 1 minute. Stir in water, reduce heat to low, cover, and cook until orzo is al dente, about 12 minutes.
• Add the shrimp in a snug, even layer on top of the orzo, cover, and cook until all the shrimp is pink and cooked through, 2 to 4 minutes. Remove from heat and let sit, covered, 2 minutes.
• Sprinkle with parsley and lemon juice, season with salt and pepper, and serve immediately.

SHRIMP ORZO WITH FETA

Steps:

• Cook orzo according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add garlic; cook and stir 1 minute. Add tomatoes and lemon juice. Bring to a boil. Stir in shrimp. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, until shrimp turn pink, 4-5 minutes., Drain orzo. Add orzo, cilantro and pepper to shrimp mixture; heat through. Sprinkle with feta cheese.