Orzo Shrimp Pasta

This dish was very delicious - sort of a summer meal, but we decided to give it a try anyways. We actually used frozen shrimp b/c the guy at the grocery store said it was the same thing they put out in the "fresh" fish section - just cheaper. It tasted just fine to us! I had never heard of a 'hothouse' cucumber but found out that it is a "foot-long slicing cucumber is pricier and less flavorful than other varieties, but it has less conspicuous seeds, a thinner skin, and a plastic wrap" If you can't find it, feel free to use a regular cucumber (if you don't mind the skin or want to peel it). It's a pretty filling dish - you could use 2-3 tbsp of olive oil instead of 4 to make it a bit lighter. We also topped it with a bit of red pepper flakes b/c we like everything spicy! We've pretty much exhausted brushcetta as a side so decided to toast a baguette sprinkled with an olive-oil, garlic mixture and topped with mozzarella & goat cheeses (basically spiced-up cheese bread). Note that you should let the mixture sit for an hour before you serve it to allow flavors to absorb (you might need to start a bit earlier on dinner:)

Ingredients

• Salt
• Olive oil
• 1/2 pound orzo pasta (rice-shaped pasta)
• 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (about 1.5 lemons)
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 1/2 cup minced scallions, white and green parts
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh dill
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley (or cilantro)
  
• 1/2 hothouse cucumber (usually in plastic wrap), unpeeled, seeded, and medium-diced
• 1/2 cup small-diced red onion
• 1/2 pound good feta cheese, large diced

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 400 F
2. Fill a large pot with water, add 1 tbsp 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.
   
3. Whisk together the lemon juice, 4 tbsp olive oil, 1 tsp salt and 1 tsp of pepper. Pour over the hot pasta and stir well.
4. 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!
5. Add the shrimp to the orzo and then add the scallions, dill, parsley, cucumber, onion, and feta. Mix well
   
6. 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.