Couscous With Shrimps and Mint

Couscous is a wonderfully useful basis for any number of quick, light meals, because while it is soaking you have time to cook some little delicacies, such as these fresh shrimps, to serve with it.

Number of servings : 4

Prep time: 15 minutes

Cooking time: 10 minutes

Type of meal : | Main Courses | Main Courses

Special diet :

Ingredients

1⅔ cups fish or chicken stock
2 shallots
1 clove garlic
¾ lb (335g) small,
firm zucchinis
3 tablespoons olive oil
Salt and black pepper
1¼ cups (225g) couscous
A handful of fresh mint
½ lb (230g) peeled, cooked shrimps
To serve: harissa sauce, optional (see below)

Directions

  1. Bring the stock to the boil in a saucepan. Peel and chop the shallots and the garlic. Trim and rinse the zucchinis and slice them thinly.
  2. Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a frying pan, add the shallots, garlic, and zucchinis, stir to coat them with oil, then fry for 4 minutes until slightly softened. Season to taste.
  3. Add the boiling stock, return to the boil, then stir in the couscous. Remove from the heat, cover, and leave to stand for 10 minutes, until the stock is absorbed.
  4. Rinse, dry, and chop the mint and set aside. Heat the remaining olive oil in a small frying pan. Stir in the shrimps and heat through.
  5. Add the shrimps and mint to the couscous, stir, and season to taste. Serve, accompanied by a side dish of harissa sauce, if using.

Cook’s Suggestion: If you like spicy food, you will enjoy harissa, a fiery sauce made of red chilies, garlic, and olive oil. Harissa can be found in Middle Eastern stores and many supermarkets.

Did you know? Couscous granules are made from semolina (coarsely ground durum wheat) and sometimes from coarsely ground barley or pearl millet.

Nutritional information: