tart and tangy

There are many divisive flavorings in the world of food. The one that comes to my mind the quickest is vinegar -- Balsamic vinegar to be exact. I love the tangy taste Balsamic vinegar brings to a meal. Usually it's used for just a hint of flavoring so it doesn't overwhelm a dish.

But one of my favorite recipes uses it as an integral ingredient. I was craving something tangy today that included pasta, so I knew I had to dig this out. I think the recipe is from a cookbook I checked out of the library years ago. It's been altered a bit since then (the original recipe called for an entire stick of butter!) and now it's close to perfect.


Sauteed Shrimp with Buttery Balsamic Vinegar Sauce

1 lb. large shrimp, peeled and deveined
dash of both salt and pepper
4 tblsp. butter
1/2 cup Balsamic vinegar
2 tblsp. fresh parsley, chopped
2 tblsp. fresh chives, chopped
1/2 tblsp. fresh tarragon, chopped
1 1/2 cups orzo, cooked
lemon wedges for serving

Melt 1 tblsp. butter over med-high heat. (Start cooking the orzo now too in order for everything to finish at once.) Add shrimp and salt and pepper once butter froths. Cook shrimp through, then remove from pan and set aside.

Add remaining butter and melt until browned. Take the pan off of the heat, add the vinegar (it tends to splatter more if you do it while the pan is on the heat) and put back on med-high heat. Scrape up the bits stuck to the bottom of the pan. Cook until sauce thickens to about 1/2 cup, 5-7 minutes. Turn off the heat and add the shrimp and any accumulated juices to the pan. Add chopped fresh herbs. Serve over orzo or combine everything in a large serving bowl.