Shrimp A La Nino - cooking recipe

Ingredients

2 c. Bechamel sauce
4 Tbsp. butter
4 Tbsp. flour
2 c. milk
salt (optional)
ground pepper
nutmeg (optional)
1 1/2 c. Pernod liquor
1 1/2 lb. medium size shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 c. fresh fennel, tops chopped
orzo

Preparation

Melt the butter in a saucepan over moderate heat, without letting it brown.
Add the flour and stir with a wire whisk until well blended.
Meanwhile, bring milk almost to a boil.
While stirring the butter and flour mixture, add the warm milk.
Simmer for 5 minutes.
Add Pernod liquor.
Peel and devein the shrimp. Add to the hot Pernod sauce.
Before serving, stir in fresh fennel.
Serve on a bed of orzo.
Braised fennel makes a nice accompaniment.