Orzo Salad with Shrimp and Feta

My friends are always calling me for this simple but delicious recipe. The key to its success is GOOD feta - don't skimp. Good feta contains only sheep's or goat's milk, rennet, and salt. 

I adapted this recipe from an orzo salad that was served, once upon a time, at The Village Cafe in Blowing Rock NC.

Ingredients:

Salad

1 box (16oz.) of Orzo pasta

1 pound medium shrimp, peeled

10 -12oz Feta (I like Trader Joe's, Pasture's of Eden Feta, Imported from Israel) 

3 3.8oz cans of sliced black olives, drained (I know, canned black olives are a bit pedestrian but they work best for this recipe)

1 bunch green onions, thinly sliced, white, light green and some darker green parts

Dressing

1/3 cup balsamic vinegar

2/3 cup good olive oil

1 clove garlic, peeled and crushed

1 bunch fresh dill finely chopped

Salt and Pepper to taste

Fill a large stock pot with water and 1 tsp. salt. Bring to a boil. Pour in Pasta. Cook for 7-10 minutes. Drain the Orzo, run through with cold water, and drizzle with olive oil.. Allow to cool to slightly warmer than room temperature before adding other ingredients.

While the water for the pasta is heating, pour 1 Tbsp olive oil into a skillet. Turn heat to medium high. Once the oil is hot spread the shrimp evenly in the skillet.  Cook for approximately 1 minute on each side, (till they turn pink). Remove the shrimp from the skillet. 

Next, make the dressing. Pour the balsamic vinegar in a small bowl. Add the crushed garlic. Then slowly whisk in the olive oil.  Add the dill, salt and pepper and whisk again.

Once the pasta is cool enough, pour it into a large bowl. Add the shrimp, olives, green onions, and crumble the feta over the Orzo. Mix well with a wooden spoon. Finally, drizzle dressing (you may need to whisk it again if it has separated) over the pasta salad - drizzle about half, mix and taste. If the salad is a bit bland, add more dressing. Reserve any left over dressing (if you have leftover salad, it needs more dressing the next day).  Mix one final time and serve over organic greens.