Memorial Day Weekend: time to get up off your couch and bring your potluck A Game. Especially when you’re invited to a barbecue and you know your hosts are totally skilled at kicking out the party food jams. It’s a good thing you have this recipe for saffron orzo with shrimp, because it’s practically perfect for potluck parties in every way.

Since it’s a pasta salad, it’s just as delicious cold as it is hot. The saffron isn’t overwhelming, adding just the right amount of color and spice. The simple ingredients keep it really fresh and light (especially all the lemon: I add half an extra lemon than the recipe calls for, and it makes it even better). But with the shrimp, it’s as hardy as anything coming off the grill. Depending on the portion size, it can even make the jump from side dish to main. In my house on weeknights, it usually does.

But what if you overdid it the night before (it’s a three day weekend, it happens) and can barely manage to get yourself out of bed, much less work kitchen wizardry on the day of your potluck party? Lucky for you, the hardest part of this recipe is prepping the shrimp. So pull yourself together and let’s get cooking!

LEMON SAFFRON ORZO with SHRIMP
Adapted from Giada de Laurentiis: Everyday Pasta

4 cups reduced sodium chicken broth
1 teaspoon saffron threads
1 lb orzo

4 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped
juice of 1 lemon
2 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper

1 lb large shrimp, peeled and deveined
juice of 1/2 a lemon
1 tsp salt + pepper
3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

one Mis en place AKA make sure your shrimp is peeled and deveined! 

two Pour the chicken broth in a large pot and quickly bring it to a boil over high heat. Then reduce the heat to low. Add the saffron, stir well, then simmer for about 5 minutes.

three Return the heat to medium. Once the broth is boiling, add the orzo and cook for around 8 to 10 minutes, until tender (but not too soft).

four Drain the orzo and put it in a large bowl. Add the 4 tbsp olive oil, parsley, lemon, salt and pepper. Mix thoroughly.

five Onward to the shrimp! Grab another bowl and toss the shrimp in the rest of the salt and pepper plus that extra half a lemon. Heat the rest of the olive oil in a skillet over medium-high, then add the shrimp. (Don’t crowd them! Single layer or they won’t cook evenly.) Cook until pink all over — about 2 minutes per side.

six Take that shrimp off the heat, pour it all in the orzo and mix well again. Serve!