And now for something completely different: Spicy Shrimp Orzo

So, my last post was about as heavy on the serious sociopolitical reflection as they come.  Today, how about something a little lighter to take into the holiday weekend, even if life itself continues to feel every bit as heavy if you've been reading the news?

As we all know, I love very few things more than playing around in the kitchen; lest we forget, it was a closer call than one might imagine between seminary and culinary school.  I love cooking.  No, it's more like: I LOVE COOKING.  All caps.  Super love it.  I can't imagine being unhappy in my kitchen; it's my refuge from a crazy world.  I've come to love it even more since I started gardening; now, I feel connected to my food from ground up, quite literally.  It's how we're SUPPOSED to be eating, dear people - close to the ground, close to home where possible, actively co-creating with God in our gardens and in our kitchens.  It sounds odd, but sometimes, I like to think of the thud-thud-thud of my chef knife against my bamboo cutting board as I mince garlic and onion as a hymn....sing to the Lord a new song.  Minus the loud boiling test-tubes.

So, in my kitchen-play/kitchen-prayer (food as spiritual discipline, anyone?), I've been making this recipe lately.  It's been partially in response to Colleen's mom sending me home with a generously-filled bag of salsa peppers (a hybrid similar to a Fresno pepper in color, size, and heat) that needed to be used, partially in response to my tomatoes going bonanza, and partially because everything in it is just pretty damn tasty.  So, here's how to whip up some Spicy Shrimp Orzo - a little heat, a little creamy, and surprisingly full of things that are good for you!

You'll Need:
1/4 standard size box of Barilla orzo (it's the little pasta shaped like grains of rice)
2 Tbs goat cheese
1/2 small-to-medium red onion, finely chopped
1 clove of garlic, minced
1 salsa pepper (or Fresno, or jalapeño), seeded and finely chopped
2 small tomatoes (or 1 medium-to-large tomato), diced
8-10 medium-to-large shrimp, peeled and deveined
1/2 shot of brandy
olive oil
salt and pepper

Get the pasta water boiling; be sure to salt it once it's boiling!  As the water heats, drizzle olive oil into a saute pan (a nice, big one; you'll be putting everything in it) over medium-high heat; add the chopped onion and peppers and let saute for 4-5 minutes before adding the garlic and tomato.  As the vegetables saute together, add the orzo to the water.  After adding the orzo, put the brandy in the saute pan and let it reduce (cooks off the alcohol and enriches the flavor).  Add the shrimp, stirring regularly to ensure they cook regularly.  Once the orzo is done, drain it, then add it to the saute pan, lower the heat to low, and then add the goat cheese.  Stir until all the goat cheese has melted.

Buon appetito!