Stuffed tomatoes with orzo salad and shrimp - Rosii umplute cu salata de orzo si creveti

The tomatoes that we picked from the farm last week were wonderful, bursting with flavor, and they made a simple tomato salad with feta cheese, while the ones that were not very ripe, I thought of stuffing them. Last week was nice and warm here, so no roasted tomatoes for me, and that's how I decided to stuff them with a cold pasta salad. This is the same orzo salad I made here and put it in lettuce leaves.

Ina Garten's recipe has also feta cheese and sliced cucumbers, but I didn't add them this time (nor the last time as a matter of fact), although I made it her way so many times, I don't add shrimp when I add feta. For some reason, I don't like them together, but I love them separately, I think feta is salty and tangy, and doesn't go well with my shrimp. And this time I added some peas.

The orzo salad is my favorite cold pasta salad. I like the vinaigrette, the fresh herbs, the fresh lemon taste and it pairs wonderful with sauteed shrimp. It's a light lunch or dinner, and I think would work perfectly with lamb or grilled chicken as well. Or in the vegetarian version with feta cheese and slices of cucumber, maybe even with red bell pepper and zucchini, roasted, grilled or fresh.

This is what I used and how I made it:

one pound shrimp (31-40), marinated for at least 30 minutes with spices, salt & pepper

one cup and a half orzo pasta

one bunch green onions, chopped

the zest and juice from one lemon

fresh dill, basil and cilantro, chopped finely

a handfull fresh or frozen peas, blanched in boiling water for 1-2 minutes

olive oil

salt & pepper to taste

I removed the shells from the shrimp and rinsed it (I keep the shells in the freezer for seafood stock), then put it in a bowl and seasoned it with salt and pepper, chilli flakes and a mix of spices - paprika, granulated onion and garlic, thyme, oregano. Let them marinate for at least 30 minutes. Saute the shrimp, arranged in a single layer, about 2 minutes on each side, until pink. Don’t overcook them or they will be chewy.
In the meantime, cook the pasta in salted water according to the instructions. When it’s cooked al dente, drain, rinse and put in a bowl with about 2 tablespoons olive oil. When the pasta is cold, mix in with the lemon juice and zest, the fresh herbs, the green onion and the peas, then add the shrimp and its sauce. Season with salt & pepper.
Serve at room temperature.

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Rosiile culese saptamana trecuta la ferma au fost minunate, atat de gustoase, incat am facut o salata de rosii cu branza telemea, iar cele mai putin copate, m-am gandit sa le fac umplute. Si pentru ca saptamana trecuta a fost destul de cald, am decis sa nu le coc, ci sa le umplu cu o salata rece de pasta. E aceeasi salata de pasta orzo de care am vorbit aici, pe care atunci am pus-o in frunze de salata.

Reteta originala ii apartine lui Ina Garten - Food Network, si ea a folosit si branza telemea si felii de castraveti, pe care eu nu i-am folosit nici acum, nici data trecuta, desi alte dati am facut-o respectand reteta intocmai. Problema e ca mie nu-mi place sa amestec crevetii cu telemeaua, care mi se pare sarata si putin acrisoara. In plus, eu am pus mazare de data asta.
Salata de orzo e favorita mea dintre salatele reci de paste. Imi place vinegreta, verdeata, gustul proaspat de lamaie, si cred ca merge de minune cu crevetii prajiti in tigaie. Poate fi un pranz sau o cina usoara, si merge bine si cu friptura de miel sau cu pui la gratar. Si cred ca si versiunea vegetariana e foarte gustoasa, cu telemea, felii de castraveti, poate chiar si niste ardei gras si dovlecei, copti, la gratar sau proaspeti.

Acestea sunt ingredientele si pasii:
o jumatate de kilogram creveti proaspeti, nedecorticati (31-40), marinati timp de cca 30 minute cu sare, piper si condimente
o cana/ 200 g pasta orzo (sau orice paste foarte mici)
o legatura de ceapa verde tocata marunt
coaja rasa si zeama de la o lamaie
marar, busuioc si coriandru proaspat, tocate marunt
o mana de mazare (proaspata sau de la congelator) fiarta numai 1-2 minute
ulei de masline
sare si piper, dupa gust

Am curatat crevetii de coaja si i-am spalat (eu pastrez cojile pentru zeama de supa de fructe de mare), si i-am pus intr-un castron la marinat cu sare, piper, putin ardei iute si un amestec de condimente - boia dulce, praf de ceapa, usturoi, cimbru si oregano. Se marineaza cca 30 minute. Se prajesc crevetii in ulei, asezati intr-un singur strat (nu-i aglomerati sau o sa iasa mai mult fierti decat prajiti), timp de 1-2 minute pe fiecare parte, pana devin rozalii. Daca ii gatiti mai mult, devin tari. Intre timp, fierbeti pastele conform instructiunilor de pe pachet. Cand pastele sunt al dente (nu fierte pana sunt moi de tot, cum aveam eu obiceiul cu cativa ani in urma), scurgeti-le de apa, si puneti-le intr-un bol cu doua linguri de ulei. Cand s-au racit pastele, amestecati-le cu zeama si coaja de lamaie, mararul, coriandrul, busuiocul, ceapa verde si mazarea, apoi adaugati si crevetii si sosul lasat de ei. Sarati si piperati dupa gust. Se serveste la temperatura camerei.