Ntomatorizo With Shrimp and Feta

Here in Toronto, noticeably shorter evenings are here, along with cooler evenings. The days are still warm and the garden still bountiful. I’ve been enjoying the tomatoes and I am trying to use them in more than just salads.

Today, I will show you how to make an easy and delicious Tomato Rice (Ntomatorizo) dish. It’s usually served on its own or as a side but with a pairing of shrimp on top, this makes it a meal.

This dish works best with fresh tomato puree, made by grating your tomatoes along the side of a box grater with the large holes.

The tomatoes are sweet, a touch of acidity and so comforting with some crumbled Feta.

Ntomatorizo (Tomato Rice) With Shrimp and Feta

(serves 4-6)

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1/2 cup finely diced onions

2 cups Arborio or other short-grain rice

1 cup grated tomato puree

5 1/2 cups hot stock (vegetable or chicken)

3 Tbsp. unsalted butter

salt and pepper to taste

1 cup chopped fresh chives (or scallions)

1 cup crumbled Feta + 1/2 cup for topping

For the Shrimp

16 medium sized shrimp, peeled and deveined, tails on

2 Tbsp. olive oil

salt and pepper

1 shot of Ouzo

2 Tbsp. unsalted butter

1. For the rice, add the olive oil and onions into a medium pot over medium-low heat, add a pinch of salt and cook the onions for about 5 minutes or until translucent.
2. Add the rice and stir for 2-3 minutes to toast. Add tomato puree, hot stock and bring up to a boil. Lower to a simmer, cover slightly ajar and cook for about 16 minutes, stirring occasionally.
3. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Add butter, chives and Feta and stir in.
4. Ten minutes into cooking your rice, place a non-stick pan over high heat. Season shrimp with salt and pepper and toss in olive oil. Add some oil into your hot pan and saute your shrimp until pink, about minute a side.
5. Take pan away from heat, add Ouzo place pan back on heat and tip the pan toward flame to ignite.
6. Add butter, turn off heat and swirl pan until butter is melted.
7. Divide and plate rice, place shrimp on top, crumbled Feta, more chopped chives.

Pro Tip: In place of ripe tomatoes, you can use passata or 1 heaping Tbsp. of tomato paste with hot water.