Spiced Shrimp with Orzo

This is a recipe that nicely blends spicy, salty, briny, and creamy all in one. Orzo is the great pasta base which absorbs some of the competing flavors. Spicy shrimp makes a nice contrast to the briny capers and the tart lemon juice. Parmesan and Mascarpone cheeses finish out the creaminess. 

For the spicy shrimp, the original recipe called for Calabrian chili paste. I tend to favor harissa as the best substitute. One could also use Sriracha, Sambal Oelek, or Gochujang.

Ingredients:

• Shrimp - 20 oz., tails off and deveined 
• Garlic - 2-3 cloves, minced
• Chili paste - 1 Tbsp.
• Orzo - 1 cup
• Capers - 4 Tbsp. rinsed
• Parmesan - 3/4 cup, grated
• Zucchini - 2, sliced
• Lemon - 1, juiced
• Mascarpone - 1/4 cup

Directions:

1. Fill medium pot 3/4 way up with salted water. Turn on high heat and bring to a boil.
2. Grate the Parmesan.
3. Halve the zucchini lengthwise then thinly slice crosswise.
4. Quarter and deseed the lemon. Squeeze all sections into a small bowl removing any seeds. 
5. Dry the defrosted shrimp with paper towels and place them in a large bowl. Mince the garlic into the bowl and add the chili paste. Drizzle with olive oil (about 1 Tbsp) and stir to mix. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside
6. Add the pasta to the boiling water and cook 9 minutes. When done, drain pasta in a colander.
7. 
   In a 12" skillet, heat 1 Tbsp. olive oil over medium high heat. Add the sliced zucchini in a single layer and cook, without stirring, for 3 minutes (until lightly browned). Continue to cook, stirring occasionally, for another 3 minutes. Transfer cooked zucchini to a bowl and cover with foil.
8. Wipe the skillet with a paper towel. Reheat the skillet with olive oil. Add the spiced shrimp and cook, without stirring, 3 minutes per side. 
   
9. While shrimp cook, return orzo to the pot and stir to mix. Add the mascarpone, capers, Parmesan cheese, and lemon juice. Taste and season with salt and pepper. Turn on a low heat to help melt the mascarpone and get it to mix with the pasta. 
10. Serve the pasta mixture in a pasta bowl and top with the finished shrimp. Sprinkle some dried parsley on top for color.