-
Prep time
15 minutes
-
Cook time
25 minutes
-
Serves
4
Author Notes
Big Little Recipes has always embodied what I consider to be a well-rounded dish—simple and quick, yet highly-impactful. In light of Emma Laperruque’s departure, I wanted to keep the spirit of her small ingredient list/big flavor ethos alive while staying true to the community-driven aspect of Food52, which fueled my decision to transform BLR into a collaborative column. From now on, you’ll be hearing from an array of new and rising voices in the food and recipe development world. At Food52, we believe in building community through food, and I can’t think of a better way to do that than with this column.
So, with that, I’d like to re-welcome you to Big Little Recipes. First up: Hali Bey Ramdene, a writer, editor, and producer who focuses on building revolutionary projects in the food and wellness space. I’ll let her take it from here. —Emily Ziemski, Food Editor
The trio responsible for all the flavor in this elegant meal of couscous and shrimp are tomato paste: bright yet savory—and better when caramelized within an inch of its existence—rosemary: piney, cozy—an herb that’s comfortable next to other proud flavors—and Marcona almonds: decadent, nutty, and buttery sweet. Together, they take the 10-minute wonder of steamed couscous to a whole new plane of flavor.
As for the saucy shrimp, tossing them in grated garlic—five cloves worth—at the end of cooking rather than sautéing it in the beginning, ensures the buttery, fresh tomato sauce is just as bold as the couscous. We’re seeking partnership in this meal of couscous and shrimp and that means everyone has to come to the table as equals in flavor. Right on.
—Hali Bey
Ingredients
- Rosemary-Almond Couscous
-
2 tablespoons
extra-virgin olive oil
-
2 teaspoons
dried rosemary
-
3 tablespoons
tomato paste
-
1 teaspoon
kosher salt
-
3 cups
(24 ounces) water
-
2 cups
Moroccan couscous
-
1/2 cup
salted Marcona almonds, coarsely chopped
- Garlic Shrimp
-
1 tablespoon
extra-virgin olive oil
-
1 pound
large shrimp, peeled and deveined, patted dry
-
kosher salt, to taste
-
5
garlic cloves, peeled and grated (1½ tablespoons)
-
1 pint
(about 320 g) cherry tomatoes, halved
-
1 tablespoon
unsalted butter
Directions
-
Make the couscous: In a medium saucepan, heat oil over medium-low heat until shimmering. Add the rosemary, tomato paste, and salt. Cook and stir with a rubber spatula until the tomato paste deepens in color and the smells fragrant, about 5 minutes. Add the water and stir until the tomato paste dissolves. Bring the tomato-water mixture to a boil over high heat. Stir in the couscous, cover, and turn off heat. Let stand until liquid is absorbed, about 10 minutes. Remove the lid, add the almonds, and fluff with a fork until the almonds have been mixed in.
-
Make the shrimp: In a large skillet, heat oil over medium until shimmering. Season the shrimp with salt and add to the skillet in a single layer. Cook until shrimp begin to turn pink, 2 to 3 minutes. Flip the shrimp and cook until almost cooked through, 1 minute more. Add the tomatoes, garlic, and butter to the skillet. Cook and stir until the butter melts and the tomatoes begin to burst, 3 to 4 minutes. Season to taste with salt; turn off the heat. Serve immediately over the couscous.
See what other Food52ers are saying.