Shrimp Giouvetsi

Giouvetsi is a class of Greek casserole dishes. Vegetables, stock, kritharaki and your choice of protein make up this rustic, straight-forward and delicious dish. Today’s dish is another offering for your Lenten table.

I start off with making a stock with the peel shells of your shrimp. The next step is to soften/sweat the vegetables and then toast the kritharaki (orzo). Orzo is a barley-shaped pasta that’s part every Greek home’s pantry. If you have a Greek grocer/deli in your town or city, you will find an array of krithraki brands and the choice of different kritharaki sizes.

After the orzo has been toasted, wine is added and soon after the hot stock. Bring everything to a boil and empty into a casserole dish. Place in your pre-heated oven and bake until almost all the liquid has been absorbed. The shrimp is introduced into the cassrole near the end as shrimp needs very little time to cook. Place the shrimp on your bed of kritharaki along with some herbs and bake until the shrimp are pink, opaque and lay waiting to be eaten in a C-shape. When your shrimp are in a C-shape they are cooked…when your shrimp have formed an O-shape, they are overcooked.

Shrimp Giouvetsi

(serves 4)

2 lbs. of uncooked (raw) shrimp, shelled and deveined

4 cups of water

1/3 cup olive oil

2 cups diced onions

5 cloves of garlic, finely chopped

1/4 red pepper, diced

1/4 green pepper, diced

1/4 cup grated carrot

2 bay leaves

2 Tbsp. of of chopped fresh parsley

2 Tbsp. of tomato paste

1 cup of kritharaki (orzo)

1/4 cup of dry Greek wine

shrimp stock (made from the water and shrimp shells)

salt and pepper to taste

pinch of Boukovo (chilli flakes)

1 tsp. ground star anise

2 Tbsp. chopped fresh dill

Pre-heated 375F oven

1. Place the shrimp shells in a pot with about 4 cups of water. Add a pinch of salt and bring to a boil. Simmer for 20 minutes and shut the heat off (your liquid will reduce to about 3 cups).
2. In the meantime, add your olive oil into a skillet over medium heat and now add the onions, garlic, peppers, carrot, bay and a pinch of salt and sweat the vegetables for about 5-7 minutes or until softened.
3. Add the tomato paste in the skillet and stir for a minute. Now add your kritharaki (orzo) and stir for a couple of minutes or until toasted and some kernels start to stick to the pan. Add your wine and deglaze while stirring for a couple of minutes. Strain the shrimp stock and discard the shells. Add the hot shrimp stock into the skillet and bring to a boil and stir occasionally. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper and add a pinch of Boukovo (chilli flakes) and star anise.
4. Empty the contents of your skillet into a casserole/baking vessel. Your liquid should be about 1 inch above the the kritharaki (add some hot water if needed and adjust seasoning accordingly). Remove your shrimp from your fridge and allow to comeback to room temperature.
5. Place in your pre-heated oven for 30-35 minutes or until almost all the liquid has been absorbed. Carefully remove the casserole from the oven and add chopped fresh dill and stir in. Place the shrimp on the bed of orzo and place back in the oven for about 5 minutes until your shrimp are pink and have formed a C-shape.
6. Remove from the oven, divide and serve, top with more finely chopped dill, a drizzle of Greek olive oil. Pair with Skouras Cuvee Prestige Red at SAQ code 10701281.

© 2015,
Peter Minakis
. All rights reserved.