Orzo with Prawns & Feta Crumble

Ingredients

• 300 g orzo
• 400 g raw king prawns, peeled
• 3 tbsp olive oil, divided
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 2 tsp fennel seeds
• ½ tsp chilli flakes
• 400 g cherry tomatoes, halved
• 500 ml vegetable or fish stock
• 200 ml water
• 1 orange, zest and juice
• 150 g feta, crumbled
• 15 g basil leaves, torn
• Fine salt and black pepper
• 1 lemon, zest and juice

Method

1. Mix the feta with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil, 1 teaspoon of the fennel seeds and a pinch of the chilli flakes. Leave it to sit while the orzo cooks; the warm spice will perfume the cheese without turning it into paste.
2. Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a wide, lidded sauté pan over a medium-high heat. Add the orzo and toast for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring, until pale gold and nutty. Tip it into a bowl.
3. Add the remaining oil and the onion to the pan. Cook for 6 minutes until soft and catching colour at the edges, then add the garlic, orange zest, remaining fennel seeds and chilli flakes. Give them 30 seconds in the hot oil.
4. Add the cherry tomatoes and cook for 5 minutes, pressing a few with the back of the spoon so their juices run. Pour in the stock and water, return the orzo and bring to a steady simmer. Cook uncovered for 12 to 15 minutes, stirring often, until the orzo is tender and the sauce is loose and glossy. Add a splash of water if it tightens before the pasta is ready.
5. Push the prawns beneath the surface and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, just until opaque and curled. Pull the pan off the heat, squeeze in the orange juice and taste. The feta is salty, so add salt or black pepper if needed only after the cheese is ready to go on.
6. Spoon into warm bowls and finish with the marinated feta and torn basil. Serve immediately; prawns keep cooking in the hot orzo and turn rubbery if they wait.