Baked Orzo with Seafood and Feta

Yield: 6 servings

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup orzo pasta (1 3/4 cups cooked)
• 1 pound halibut, fillet or steak*
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 cup finely chopped yellow onion
• 2 medium cloves garlic, peeled and minced
• 1 (28 ounce) can chopped tomatoes
• 1 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
• 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
• 3/4 teaspoon dried Italian herbs, crushed
• 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/2 pound cooked baby shrimp*
• 2 tablespoons chopped parsley
• 1 (4 ounce) package crumbled feta cheese seasoned with basil and dried tomatoes

Instructions

1. Heat oven to 400 degrees F. Bring a pot of water to a boil. Add the orzo, stirring well, and cook according to package directions. Drain and set aside.
2. Remove the skin and any bones from the halibut; cut into 1 inch pieces and set aside.
3. Heat the oil in a 10 to 12 inch ovenproof skillet over medium heat. Put the onion into the pan and sauté for 5 minutes.
4. Add the garlic and sauté for 2 minutes. Pour the tomatoes and broth into the pan and stir in the sugar, herbs, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer, uncovered, 10 minutes. Stir often. (The sauce can be made a day in advance. Cool, cover and refrigerate. Reheat before continuing with the next step.)
5. Remove the pan from the heat. Stir the orzo and halibut into the sauce.
6. Cover and bake for 8 minutes.
7. Gently fold the shrimp and parsley into the pan and sprinkle the feta on top.
8. Continue baking, uncovered, 8 to 10 minutes, until the sauce is bubbly and the halibut is cooked through.
9. Let sit for 5 minutes before serving.

Notes

* A 7 ounce pouch of water-packed tuna can replace the halibut and shrimp in this recipe. Following the instructions in step 5, add the tuna to the sauce with the orzo. Bake for 8 minutes covered, then uncover and continue baking for 8 to 10 minutes.