Smoky Shrimp with Lemony Orzo, Green Olives & Feta

Directions

1. Place the shrimp in a large mixing bowl, drizzle with enough olive oil to lightly coat, season generously with salt and pepper, and toss to combine. Add the oregano, thyme, and red pepper flakes and toss again, then set aside to marinate at room temperature while you prepare the grill.
2. Prepare a charcoal grill for two-zone cooking and build a medium-high fire, or heat a gas grill to high.
3. When the coals are glowing red and covered with a fine gray ash, add your smoke source (chips, chunks, or log** SEE NOTE BELOW). Carefully wipe the preheated grill grates with a lightly oiled paper towel. Using a grill brush, scrape the grill grates clean, then carefully wipe with a lightly oiled towel again and place a cast-iron skillet or grill basket over direct heat.
4. While the grill heats, bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the orzo and cook according to the package instructions until al dente (tender but still firm). Drain the orzo in a colander, rinse it briefly, then transfer it to a mixing bowl. Drizzle the pasta with enough olive oil to lightly coat and toss to combine (this will help prevent the pasta from sticking).
5. Finely grate the zest from 1 lemon and add it to the orzo. Halve both of the lemons horizontally (from stem end to the blossom end).
6. When the fire begins to produce a steady stream of smoke, pour the shrimp into the preheated skillet and cook, flipping the shrimp and rotating the pan around the heat (closing the lid in between to make the most of the wood smoke) until just cooked (they will turn opaque and be firm and springy to the touch), 5 to 6 minutes total. Remove the pan from the heat and let the shrimp cool briefly.
7. Brush the cut sides of the lemons with olive oil and grill the citrus cut-side down over direct heat until dark char marks appear, 2 to 3 minutes.
8. Add the warm shrimp and any juices to the orzo and toss to combine. Add about 1⁄3 cup (80 ml) olive oil, the green onions, olives, and feta and toss gently to combine. Taste and adjust the seasonings, adding more salt or pepper as desired. Divide the pasta and shrimp among bowls and serve warm or at room temperature with the grilled lemon halves. Refrigerate any leftovers in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
9. **NOTE: Smoking is where the magic happens. Incorporating hardwood in any of the following forms creates a stream of aromatic smoke to infuse whatever you're cooking. If you're using a gas grill, your only option is to rey on wood chips (soaked in water beforehand so they'll slowly smolder) placed in a smoker box or foil packet that's placed directly on the grates over a flame. You can also use soaked chips in a charcoal grill, either wrapped in a foil packet or scattered directly on the coals. Chips burn much more quickly than wood chunks, so consider the latter for recipes that require longer cook times. I love wood chunks because I can place a couple directly on a bed of hot coals (no soaking required), where they'll light quickly and smolder steadily, and they're easy to move with tongs if I need to balance the heat. Wood chunks are a great way to build heat if your temperature begins to drop midway through cooking and you don't have hot coals at the ready. Once the chunks ignite, you can control the speed at which they burn by moving them around the fire and venting your grill to control the amount of air the fire is receiving.