It’s one of those master flavor combos which I’m sure chefs have known about for years, but I discovered by accident the other day when I happened to have some cooked shrimp and canned olives in the fridge and I took a bite of each. Wow, so good! Here’s the recipe that evolved from that serendipitous moment—a quick and easy dinner with shrimp cooked in a fresh tomato, garlic, caper, and olive sauce, tossed with orzo pasta and chopped arugula. Every bite is packed with flavor, which is well balanced with the sweet shrimp, salty tangy capers, acidic and sweet tomatoes, garlic, buttery olives, and peppery arugula. I’ve left the tails on the shrimp because 1) they look prettier, and 2) I love pulling the last bit of shrimp out of the shell as I eat them, but feel free to use fully shelled shrimp if you prefer. The dish is served warm, but you could easily eat it at room temp or cold. It reheats fine for leftovers the next day. BTW, this dish gets a hearty seal of approval from both my father and my sweetheart, two thumbs up! Shrimp can be fully shelled or you can leave the tails on, your preference. While the water is heating and the pasta is cooking, cook the tomatoes and shrimp in the next steps. Remove from heat as soon as the shrimp are almost cooked through.
