Shrimp, Asparagus, & Creamy Orzo With Brown Butter

Shrimp, Asparagus, & Creamy Orzo With Brown Butter

This is so good and so simple. It's creamy and complex, but easy to make and uses very little seasoning.

6 oz	asparagus (the thinner the better)
12 oz	orzo
6 tbl	butter
1 lb	peeled & deveined medium shrimp
	salt
	pepper
1 cup	chicken stock
1 tsp	granulated garlic
2 tbl	chopped flat leaf parsley
½ cup	grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving

Bring a large saucepan of salted water to a boil. Add the asparagus and boil the asparagus for 2 minutes. Transfer the asparagus to a bowl. Add the orzo to the boiling water. Cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

While the orzo cooks, cut the asparagus into 1-inch lengths. In a medium skillet, melt the butter over medium high heat. Reduce the heat to medium and cook until the butter begins to brown. Add the shrimp, season with salt and pepper, and cook until shrimp are pink and curled, about 1 minute per side. Transfer the shrimp to the bowl with the asparagus but save the left-over butter in the skillet.

Drain the orzo, but save ¼ cup of the pasta water. Put the orzo back in the saucepan.

Turn the skillet to high heat, add the stock, and scrape any stuck browned butter bits off the bottom of the pan. Pour the butter and stock mixture and the saved pasta water into the orzo and cook over medium heat bringing it to a simmer. Stir this constantly for about 2 minutes or until creamy. Stir in the asparagus and shrimp and cook until heated throughout. Remove from the heat. Stir in the parsley, the ½ cup of Parmesan, and the granulated garlic. Season with salt and pepper. Serve in bowls topped with more Parmesan.

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