Seafood Yiouvesti

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n73kvKKyl3g

This is an awesome and easy seafood dish. Seafood Yiouvesti is a classic Greek meal consisting of a variety of delicious seafood and orzo cooked in a warmly spiced tomato sauce. Many people say the texture of the dish reminds them of risotto, which is true because they are so similar. The pasta and seafood are stirred together to make a one-bowl meal.

I like this dish because it's a novel way to serve seafood, and works especially well in cooler months we don't want to grill. My children also enjoy this dish because they like anything I make with pasta. It combines a lot of seafood flavors they might not eat when served separately. As you can see, in this episode I made it with shrimp and mussels. However, you can use almost any kind of seafood you'd like. Pick up whatever you're in the mood for!

The beauty of this dish is everyone comes together in one pot. It doesn't get any better than this for practicality purposes. Also, by cooking the seafood in the pasta the flavors fuse beautifully, giving it all a fresh-from-the-sea feel.

Seafood Yiouvesti works well year round and is great for making for guests as well. Once you try it you'll make it regularly. Enjoy!

Greek Seafood Yiouvesti (Θαλασσινό Γιουβέτσι) 

Ingredients 

Seafood 

• 1 lb shrimp, peeled & deveined 

• 1 dozen mussels

• Optional additions: calamaris, clams, scallops, or chunks of white fish 

• Salt & freshly ground pepper 

  
  

Yiouvesti Sauce 

• ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil 

• 1 large onion, finely chopped 

• 3 cloves garlic, minced 

• 1 (28-oz) can crushed tomatoes 

• 1 tsp sugar 

• 1 tsp dried oregano 

• ½ tsp cinnamon (very traditional) 

• 1 bay leaf 

• 1 tsp salt 

• ½ tsp pepper 

• Stock: 1 cup clam juice + 3 cups water 

  
  

Orzo 

• 1½ cups orzo  

  
  

Finish 

• Fresh parsley, chopped 

• Lemon wedges 

• Optional: grated kefalotyri or graviera (non-traditional but popular) 

  
  

Instructions 

1. Prepare seafood by seasoning it lightly with salt and pepper. Set aside. (Do not cook yet.) 

2. Heat olive oil in an oven-safe pot or deep pan. Sauté the onion until soft. Add garlic and tomato paste; cook 1 minute. Stir in crushed tomatoes, sugar, oregano, cinnamon, bay leaf, salt & pepper. Simmer 10–15 minutes. 

3. In a large pot, bring the clam juice and water to a boil and stir in orzo. 

4. Cook the orzo on low heat for 15 minutes, stirring once. 

5. Working carefully, nestle the seafood into the orzo. Cover and continue cooking it for 15 minutes more, or until the orzo is tender and seafood just cooked. 

6. Remove the bay leaf and let it rest for 5 minutes. Sprinkle with parsley and serve with lemon. 

Nikki Glekas is the owner of Nikki Glekas Events, a full-service catering and events company located in Stamford, CT.. To discuss further please contact team@nikkiglekascollective.com or call 203.658.8659.