Grilled Shrimp Orzo Salad
It’s August which means we’re deep into the summer. I still can’t believe there are only a couple more weeks before school starts. And unlike last year, school is actually going to start! But while the kids going off to school means more time for you to run errands, go shopping or just binge all your favorite shows, it doesn’t mean there’s a chill in the air or that the temperatures are dropping. Unfortunately, it’s just the opposite. Here in the South Bay, August is really the beginning of our summer. We’re finally hitting beach and pool weather, which means there’s still plenty of time to cook dinner outside. That’s right, I’m talking about grilling!
As I’ve mentioned several times here before, I love my grill. I use it every chance I get, even into the fall and winter (as long as it’s not raining). There’s just something about cooking over an open flame. Not only does it remind me of days long forgotten, but the flavors from the grill take the meal to another level. Sure, there’s a little more time and effort involved, but trust me, it’s so worth it. Today’s recipe uses grilled shrimp and corn for this awesome cool orzo salad.
While beef and chicken are usually my gotos for the grill, I love cooking seafood as well. Now, I know that shrimp may seem like a tough option for the grill because they’re small and could fall between the grates. But I’m here to give you a tip to make grilling shrimp a cinch: skewer them. That’s right. String five or six on a skewer and then you have nothing to fear. Plus, now that they’re all stuck on a spike, they’re much easier to baste and flip. You’ll really only have to flip them once to get them cooked all the way through, and since they’ll all be flipped at the same time, they won’t be overcooked! Win-win.
The smokiness isn’t the only extra flavor here. For a little extra umami, I sprinkled this great new seaweed salt I received from Saltverk on top of the shrimp. Saltverk was founded in 2011 and reestablished salt making in Iceland. The company, located on the small peninsula of Reykjanes in Iceland, uses a two centuries old method to make their sustainable, hand harvested salt. They chose Reykjanes to set up shop because it has some of the cleanest seawater around. That seawater is the raw material used to make the sea salt. While the Birch Smoked and Seaweed are my favorites, they make a variety of flavors that are well worth a taste. I constantly use the Seaweed Salt on seafood and the Arctic Thyme and Licorice salts are wonderful on salads.
You probably noticed this is an orzo salad, and orzo needs to be boiled. While I normally cook my pasta inside on the stove, there’s no reason why you couldn’t cook it outside as well. As long as you have a metal pot, a pot holder and room on your grill, the orzo can be cooked outside. Since this recipe calls for a dozen shrimp, you really only need two skewers and one or two cobs of corn. So, there should be more than enough space in one corner of your grill for a saucepan full of water. Once everything is grilled, all that’s left is to let it cool, toss it together with a few vegetables and some feta cheese. Now you’ve got a great summer salad that’s perfect for a picnic in the park or a simple dinner in your backyard.
Ingredients
- 1/2 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 1 teaspoon seaweed salt
- 1/2 teaspoon lemon pepper
- 1 cob of corn
- 2 cups dried orzo pasta
- 2 Persian cucumbers sliced
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 tablespoon fresh dill, chopped
- 1/3 cup herbed feta cheese, crumbled
Instructions
- Preheat the grill to 400 degrees F.
- While the grill heats, place the shrimp on skewers. Brush with olive oil and sprinkle with seaweed salt and lemon pepper. Cook on the grill for about five minutes or until cooked through, flipping once. Roast the corn for about 10 minutes until charred in spots and cooked through. Remove from grill and let cool.
- While the shrimp and corn cook, make the orzo according to package directions. Drain and place in a large bowl.
- Cut the corn off the cob and add it to the orzo. Add the shrimp, tomatoes, cucumbers, feta and dill and toss until combined. Drizzle your favorite vinaigrette over the salad, toss to coat and serve.
Disclosure: This is not a sponsored post. The salts were gifted to me from Saltverk for recipe testing. As always, any opinion expressed is my own and is not influenced in any way by the manufacturer/PR firm as I only review products that I have personally tested and endorse.
