Prawn and Scallop Orzo
This prawn and scallop orzo layers homemade prawn stock, sweet roasted cherry tomatoes, aromatic ouzo, and perfectly seared scallops for a deeply flavourful seafood pasta perfect for a special dinner at home.
Servings: 4 people
Ingredients
For the prawn stock
- 500 g prawns shells removed, de-veined/cleaned – reserve the meat for the orzo
- 1 large carrot roughly chopped
- 2 celery sticks roughly chopped
- 1 onion roughly chopped
- 1 fennel bulb roughly chopped (save the fennel fronds!)
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 2 bay leaves
Roasted cherry tomatoes
- Extra virgin olive oil
- 250 g cherry tomatoes
- 1 garlic bulb cut in half
For the orzo
- 1 shallot finely diced
- 1 red chill sliced into rounds
- 40 ml ouzo
- 340 g orzo pasta
- Reserved meat from the prawns cut into small pieces
- 8-12 scallops depending on size
- Couple of sprigs of fresh oregano
Instructions
Prawn stock
- To make the stock, place the prawn heads and shells in a large pot, along with all of the other ingredients. Fill with water until everything is just covered and place over a medium heat. Bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer and cook for one hour.
- Strain the stock into a smaller pot and keep warm.
Roasted cherry tomatoes
- Meanwhile, roast the cherry tomatoes and garlic with a good drizzle of olive oil and pinch of salt, for 30 minutes at 180c/350f – set aside.
Orzo
- To make the orzo, heat a couple of tablespoons of olive oil in a large pan over medium heat, then sauté the diced shallot and chilli. Deglaze the pan with the ouzo and let the alcohol cook out, before adding the roasted tomatoes and garlic (which you can squeeze out of its skin!).
- Add the orzo and give everything a good stir, then add enough of the prawn stock to cover with 1-2cm above the orzo. Simmer gently, stirring occasionally, according to packet instructions (about 12-15 min depending on the brand and size of the orzo). Add small ladles of stock as needed if it looks to be drying out.
- A couple of minutes before the orzo is done, stir through the reserved prawn meat and allow this to gently poach in the pasta.
- Remove from the heat and set aside to rest while you cook the scallops. Make sure you thoroughly pat them dry before cooking.
- Heat a couple of tablespoons of olive oil in a large pan over medium heat, then when very hot add the scallops and don’t touch them. Let them cook for 2 minutes before turning and cooking for another minute or so.
- Top the orzo with the scallops, then garnish with the reserved fennel fronds and fresh oregano.
