Chilled Shrimp and Couscous

By Vivian Henoch • July 13, 2012 • 2 Comments

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Chilled Shrimp and Couscous — 1 of 3 Photo by Vivian Henoch

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Author Notes: Think of this as a fresh take on pasta salad. . . an elegant side to a summer buffet or an entree in itself. It derives from one of my favorite comfort foods - one I don’t make often: shrimp and grits. Shrimp and grits - Charleston-style - is a heaven-sent dish of creamy, buttery, cheesy goodness, topped with a spicy shrimp “gravy.”

My summer version here a far lighter dish than the classic Southern fare - substituting pearl (Israeli) couscous for the creamy stone-ground grits. The “dressing” is mayonnaise-based, doctored with lemon, a dash of Worcestershire sauce, and fresh herbs from the garden. (Because I had a muffaletta-type spicy pickled olive spread on hand, I also added that to the dressing. Most recipes for the shrimp topping call for bacon. I recommend kicking it up a notch (as Emeril would say) with a few slices of Italian Tazzo ham.

Absolutely nothing stands in the way of serving this dish hot -- though an afternoon siesta in the fridge is recommended for optimal blending of the flavors. - Vivian Henoch

Food52 Review: This dish was a revelation! I can't wait to make this for a picnic dinner at an outdoor concert - it’s elegant, neither dry nor soupy, and all of the flavors pop, making it thoroughly delicious. The Israeli couscous is creamy to begin with, so only 1/4 cup of mayonnaise is needed for a perfect consistency. I used Italian sausage, but cubed ham would be just as good; I can also see using proteins other than or in addition to shrimp - perhaps chicken, other shellfish, or cold leftover pork or lamb. - Tarragon

Serves 6

Shrimp and Couscous

2 cups pearl (Israeli) couscous
1 cup chicken stock
1 cup water
1.5 pounds uncooked shrimp, peeled an deveined
1/2 yellow bell pepper, chopped
1/2 sweet red pepper, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
4 ounces Tazzo ham (substitutes: procuitto or sweet Italian bulk sausage)
1 shallot, finely sliced
splashes Tabasco, or red pepper sauce of choice
3 tablespoons olive oil (for cooking)
2 scallions, chopped for garnish

Dressing

1/4 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
3 tablespoons fresh herbs (oregano, thyme, basil leaves)
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/4 teaspoon dry mustard
1 tablespoon Muffaletta (olive relish) Optional

To prepare couscous: heat a tablespoon of olive oil in a medium pan, add two cups of couscous. Stir until couscous is coated in warm oil - (do not let the mixture brown). Add chicken stock and water, and simmer for about twenty minutes. Or until couscous has absorbed all liquid and is done. Set aside.
In a sauté pan, heat 1 tablespoon of oil, add ham (or sausage) , garlic, shallot, peppers. Cook until vegetables are softened. Combine vegetable mixture with couscous.
To sauté shrimp, add 1 tablespoon olive oil in the pan used for the veg mixture (or use a separate pan). Cook about two minutes until shrimp are plump and tender. Remove immediately from heat.
To prepare dressing: in a small bowl, combine all six ingredients and whisk.
To assemble: stir dressing into couscous vegetable mixture, top with shrimp, garnish with chopped scallions or fresh herbs. Dish may be served hot, chilled or at room temperature. (It's all good.)