I was in the Christmas Tree Shop yesterday. It was a sea of pumpkins and leaves and Autumn themed paper goods. All I could think was that summer couldn’t possibly be over. We haven’t even had dinner on the boat yet!

This caused me to seek out my favorite recipe for dinner and sunset on the boat. This is my first step in making it happen. Not today. It’s actually pouring out there. But soon. Very soon!

Shrimp and Orzo

Adapted from Ina Garten’s Roasted Shrimp & Orzo in Barefoot Contessa At Home

The huge advantage of this recipe is that it’s best served at room temperature. You can package it up and transport it in a cooler and bring it back to room temperature before you serve it. I think of it for an evening on the boat, but it’s great to take to a cookout at someone’s house. Or for that matter, at your own house.

Ingredients

3/4 pound orzo
1/2 C freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 pounds peeled and deveined large shrimp
1 C minced scallions (white and green parts)
1/2 C chopped fresh dill
1/2 C chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 hothouse cucumber (unpeeled, seeded, and medium diced)
1/2 C small diced red or sweet onion
1/2 pound feta cheese, medium diced
olive oil, kosher salt, freshly ground pepper

Directions

1. Cook orzo according to package directions. Drain and pour into a large bowl.
2. Whisk together the lemon juice, 1/2 C olive oil, 2 tsp. salt and 1 tsp. pepper. Pour this mixture over the hot orzo and stir well.
3. Drizzle the shrimp with a little olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Spread them out in a single layer on a sheet pan and roast in a 400 degree oven for about 5 minutes or until the shrimp are cooked through. Be careful not to overcook them.
4. Add the shrimp to the orzo. Then add the scallions, dill, parsley, cucumber, onion, 2 tsp. salt, and 1 tsp. pepper. Stir to combine.
5. Add the feta. Stir gently, so you don’t break up the feta too much.
6. Let sit at room temperature for at least an hour to allow the flavors to blend. Then refrigerate. If you refrigerate the dish, bring it back to room temperature before you serve it. It should serve six people.