Cocktail-Style Shrimp and Mediterranean Orzo Recipe

cocktail-style shrimp and mediterranean orzo on a black plate beside a plate of lemon slices

Photos by Noah Fecks

Our Dinner and a Movie series features nostalgic essays on some of our favorite films from the '80s and '90s paired with recipes inspired from movie moments. Don't miss our essay on Beetlejuice.

This creamy orzo dish has all the familiar notes of shrimp cocktail — lemon, horseradish, a tomato base — as well as Mediterranean notes that make it a comprehensive meal. Pair it with your favorite Greek white wine, or with a spooky Bloody ’Tini, perfect for Halloween (and an annual viewing of Beetlejuice, of course).

Serves 4

Ingredients

1 pound large shrimp, peeled, deveined, tails removed
Kosher salt, to taste
Ground pepper, to taste
2 tablespoons salted butter, divided
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
4 cloves garlic, minced and divided
½ yellow onion, cubed
1 shallot, minced
2 ribs celery, diced
1 tablespoon jarred horseradish
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 tablespoon fresh oregano, chopped
1½ cups orzo
½ cup dry white wine
4 cups chicken broth
½ cup large green olives with pimentos, halved
1 cup cherry or Sungold tomatoes, whole
Juice from 1 lemon
Zest from 1 lemon
6 ounces crumbled feta

Directions

cocktail-style shrimp and mediterranean orzo arranged to look like the shrimp cocktail in Beetlejuice movie with yellow plastic ring around dish

Season shrimp all over with salt and pepper. Heat a large nonstick or cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add one tablespoon each of the butter and olive oil. Once the butter has melted and the skillet is hot, add the shrimp and half of the garlic. Sauté for 2 to 3 minutes, or until the shrimp are opaque and cooked through. Remove shrimp from pan and set aside.

Add the remaining tablespoons of butter and olive oil to the pan and turn the heat down to medium. When the butter has started to sizzle, add the onion, shallot, celery and remaining garlic. Season with salt and pepper. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring frequently so that the garlic does not burn. Stir in the horseradish, tomato paste, and oregano. Cook for one minute, until the tomato paste has turned from bright red to a deep red.

Drink Up!

Bloody 'Tini Recipe

Raise a glass of this spooky spirit and say cheers to a haunting good time!

bloody martini in a glass with celery garnish standing in a yellow plastic ring beside silver conical salt and pepper shakers

Add the orzo to the pan and season with more salt and ground pepper. Coat the orzo with the tomato mixture and cook for about one minute. Add the white wine to the pan and increase the heat to medium-high. Allow the wine to reduce for 1 minute, stirring vigorously to release anything from the bottom of the pan.

Add the chicken stock and increase the heat to high. Once the liquid has reached a boil, reduce the heat to medium-low, stirring the orzo frequently to prevent it from sticking to the pan.

After 7 minutes, add the olives and tomatoes to the pan, continuing to stir to keep the orzo from sticking.

Cook the orzo until the liquid is completely absorbed and the orzo is no longer translucent, about 12 to 15 minutes. The orzo may require extra cooking liquid during this process. If so, add water during cooking to keep the orzo covered.

When the orzo is cooked through, turn off the heat and stir in the lemon juice and zest. Season the orzo to taste with salt and pepper. Add the shrimp to the pan and top the dish with the crumbled feta.