Shrimp and Vegetable Couscous

The amazing thing about couscous is how fast it 'cooks' and how versatile it is. This is one of those recipes that should give you lots of ideas to create your own combinations. By the way, this is the 'home' version; the traditional method used to cook this dish uses a steamer called a kiska, sometimes called a couscoussier in French cuisine. Garnish with lemon.

• Preparation Time: 15 mins
• Cooking Time: 35 mins
• Total Time: 50 mins
• Calories: 450 Calories

Ingredients

• ⅓ cup olive oil
• salt and ground black pepper to taste
• 2 zucchinis, diced
• 2 cups couscous
• 1 eggplant, diced
• ½ cup diced tomato
• 2 teaspoons olive oil, or as needed
• 1 pinch cayenne, or to taste
• 1 pound medium shrimp, shelled and deveined, shells reserved
• 2 ⅓ cups cold water
• ½ bunch fresh tarragon, chopped
• ½ bunch fresh dill, chopped

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

Melt butter in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Saute shrimp shells in melted butter until pink and fragrant, 3 to 4 minutes. Add water; bring to a simmer, reduce heat to low, and simmer until flavors combine, about 20 minutes.

Step 2

Heat 1/3 cup olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Saute zucchini and eggplant with a pinch of salt and pepper in hot oil until soft, 6 to 7 minutes. Clear a space in the center of the skillet. Add tomato; saute in the center of the skillet until slightly caramelized, 3 to 4 minutes. Add garlic to the skillet; cook and stir all vegetables together until garlic is fragrant, about 1 minute.

Step 3

Heat 2 teaspoons oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Saute shrimp in hot oil until shrimp are pink, about 1 minute per side.

Step 4

Combine vegetable mixture, shrimp, couscous, tarragon, and dill together in a bowl. Season with salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and pat mixture into a flat shape.

Step 5

Pour hot shrimp stock through a strainer into couscous mixture, discarding strained shells. Cover the bowl with aluminum foil and let sit until couscous is tender and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Toss.