Seared Shrimp and Summer Couscous

Seared Shrimp and Summer Couscous -1-13Moving Week is here! I say this with both exhilaration and trepidation. Part of me wants to sing and dance, and the other part wants to run away and hide until it’s all behind us. Ha ha. Simple dinners have full reign of my kitchen and time consuming ideas are beaten back with a stick.

My luxury meal planning time is practically nonexistent. As I recently sat in the parking lot of the grocery store and scribbled down my weekly menu and grocery list, I closed my eyes and tried to think of something that would be very summery, full of fresh flavor and not take too much time. Shrimp and couscous came to mind immediately. Both ingredients scream SPEED to me. Each take 5 minutes to prepare, and it’s hard to find any other kind of full meal that can beat that record.

Put these juicy, plump shrimp with fluffy couscous on your menu. I think the addition of tomatoes, aromatics, fresh herbs and lemon juice really elevate this dish to an elegant and sophisticated meal, even though it’s technically easier to prepare than to take the time to get take out. Nobody said that delicious, homemade dinners that look 100% gourmet need to be difficult to make.

I have to go back to my boxes, but I can’t wait to come back soon and show you our new place:). But before that happens, I need to stay sane for the rest of the week, get all our possessions packed up and transported, all while entertaining a very rambunctious child and an attention hungry baby. 

Ingredients:

3 Tablespoons olive oil

1 onion, chopped

1/2 jalapeño, minced

1 pint grape tomatoes, chopped in half

4 garlic cloves, divided

1 1/2 cups couscous

2 1/4 cups chicken, seafood or vegetable broth, hot

Juice of 1/2 a lemon

1 lb shrimp, deveined and peeled (with tails still attached, optionally)

1 Tablespoons fresh parsley and green onions, minced and thinly sliced

Instructions:

Seared Shrimp and Summer Couscous -1Heat 1 Tablespoon of oil in a deep skillet. Add the onion and jalapeño. Season with salt and pepper. Cook for about 5 minutes, on medium heat,  until the onions are softened. Seared Shrimp and Summer Couscous -1-2Increase the heat to high, add the tomatoes and cook for another 2-3 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 3o seconds. Seared Shrimp and Summer Couscous -1-3Add the couscous to the skillet and pour in the broth and 1-2 Tablespoons of lemon juice. Bring it to a boil, turn off the heat and let it stand, covered for 5 minutes.

Seared Shrimp and Summer Couscous -1-4

Seared Shrimp and Summer Couscous -1-5Meanwhile, add 1 Tablespoon of oil to another skillet and sear the shrimp for 1-2 minutes per side, on high heat, seasoned with salt and pepper. Cook half of the shrimp at a time. Seared Shrimp and Summer Couscous -1-6When you turn the shrimp over, add 1 clove of minced garlic and another 1 Tablespoon of lemon juice to the skillet. Repeat with the second half of the shrimp, lemon juice and garlic. Add parsley after you turn the heat off. Seared Shrimp and Summer Couscous -1-7Fluff the cooked couscous with a fork. Seared Shrimp and Summer Couscous -1-8

Seared Shrimp and Summer Couscous -1-9Add the shrimp to the couscous and serve. Seared Shrimp and Summer Couscous -1-10

Seared Shrimp and Summer Couscous
 
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Author:
Recipe type: Entree
Serves: 4
Ingredients
  • 3 Tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • ½ jalapeño, minced
  • 1 pint grape tomatoes, chopped in half
  • 4 garlic cloves, divided
  • 1½ cups couscous
  • 2¼ cups chicken, seafood or vegetable broth, hot
  • Juice of ½ a lemon
  • 1 lb shrimp, deveined and peeled (with tails still attached, optionally)
  • 1 Tablespoons fresh parsley and green onions, minced and thinly sliced
Instructions
  1. Heat 1 Tablespoon of oil in a deep skillet. Add the onion and jalapeño. Season with salt and pepper. Cook for about 5 minutes, on medium heat, until the onions are softened. I
  2. increase the heat to high, add the tomatoes and cook for another 2-3 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds.
  3. Add the couscous to the skillet and pour in the broth and 1-2 Tablespoons of lemon juice. Bring it to a boil, turn off the heat and let it stand, covered for 5 minutes.
  4. Meanwhile, add 1 Tablespoon of oil to another skillet and sear the shrimp for 1-2 minutes per side, on high heat, seasoned with salt and pepper. Cook half of the shrimp at a time.
  5. When you turn the shrimp over, add 1 clove of minced garlic and another 1 Tablespoon of lemon juice to the skillet.
  6. Repeat with the second half of the shrimp, lemon juice and garlic.
  7. Add parsley after you turn the heat off.
  8. Fluff the cooked couscous with a fork.
  9. Add the shrimp to the couscous and serve. Garnish with fresh herbs.

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