via ina garten
serves 6

salt & pepper
olive oil
3/4 pound orzo
1/2 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (3 lemons)
2 pounds (16 to 18 count) shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 cup minced scallions
1 cup chopped fresh dill
1 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 hothouse cucumber, unpeeled, seeded, and medium-diced
1/2 cup small-diced red onion
3/4 pound feta cheese, large diced
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, and onion. 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.
Note: i liked the ratio of orzo to shrimp in the recipe. usually there’s way too much orzo or pasta and not enough of the other ingredients in the salad. forgot to add lemon, which i’m sure would have added some lightness and freshness (lemon + seafood = tastyness). also didn’t add as much herb as prescribed since my family doensn’t like herbyness. didn’t realize that the scallions had gone bad so i used a little more red onion. but i forgot that red onion has a much rawer/harsher onion taste. next time i’ll either quick-pickle the onions, or just add only scallions. also no feta since my mom’s not fan. in spite of forgetting lemon and scallions, still ended up deliciousness overall. maybe next time i’ll add more cucumber and some (deseeded) tomatoes.