Orzo Risotto with Buttery Shrimp

Ingredients (2 servings):

• 230 g (approx. 18 pcs of middle-sized) shrimp,
• (100 g asparagus tips),
• 200 g orzo,
• salt and pepper, to taste,
• 250 ml dense chicken stock,
• 55 g butter,
• 30 g grated parmesan (or gran moravia) cheese,
• (7 g chopped parsley). 

(optional)

 Algorithm:

1. (Cook the asparagus in salty water until tender, for about 4 minutes.)
2. Cook the orzo in salty water (you can reuse the water from step 1) until al dente, then drain (use a collander, really) and reserve 60 ml of the pasta water.
3. Melt the butter in a large sauté pan and let it brown to develop a nutty flavour.
4. Add into the butter shrimp, salt and pepper to taste, cook for around 1 min, turn over and cook another 1 min on the other side, then remove on a plate.
5. Pour the chicken stock and pasta water into the sauté pan to deglaze and when it starts to bubble, pour it into the drained orzo.
6. Stir the orzo until creamy.
7. Add the shrimp (and asparagus) into the orzo and mix until heated-through.
8. Remove from heat and mix in parmesan (and parsley), and add salt and pepper if necessary.

Source: http://www.cookingforengineers.com/recipe/161/Orzo-Risotto-with-Buttery-Shrimp