Lemon Pepper Shrimp Scampi with Orzo

This is definitely not your typical shrimp scampi. It isn't drowning in butter and oil, and it's served with orzo instead of linguine or fettucine. Both the shrimp and the orzo were delicious, but I'm not sure I really loved them together. And while it wasn't drowning in a rich, buttery sauce, there was no sauce at all. But, it was tasty and is definitely making.

Lemon Pepper Shrimp Scampi
Recipe adapted from this one.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup uncooked orzo
• 1/2 teaspoon salt, divided
• 1/4 cup of goat cheese
• 7 teaspoons unsalted butter; divided
• 2 tablespoons of olive oil
• 1 1/2 pounds peeled and de-veined jumbo shrimp 
• 2 cloves of garlic
• the zest of one lemon
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Directions:

1. Cook orzo according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. Drain. Place orzo in a medium bowl. Stir in 1/4 teaspoon salt and the goat cheese; cover and keep warm.
2. While orzo cooks, melt 1 tablespoon butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle shrimp with remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt. Add half of shrimp to pan; sauté 2 minutes or until almost done. Transfer shrimp to a plate. Melt 1 teaspoon butter in pan. Add remaining shrimp to pan; sauté 2 minutes or until almost done. Transfer to plate.
3. Melt remaining 1 tablespoon butter in pan. Add garlic to pan; cook 30 seconds, stirring constantly. Stir in shrimp, juice, and pepper; cook 1 minute or until shrimp are done.
4. Toss the shrimp mixture, the olive oil and the orzo together. Add salt to taste. 

We served ours with a side salad and this was a delicious, quick and light meal.