Couscous with shrimps from Alexey Zimin
6 servings
30 minutes
Alexey Zimin's shrimp couscous is a refined blend of Eastern spices, Mediterranean motifs, and authorial sophistication. Tender couscous grains infused with saffron and cinnamon aromas combine with juicy shrimp stewed in tomatoes with garlic, lemon juice, and a light sweetness of sugar. The softness of the texture is achieved through careful massage of the couscous with melted butter, while coriander, cumin, and chili pepper add piquant accents. In the end, the dish is enriched with fresh parsley and balsamic vinegar, turning it into a true gastronomic journey. Shrimp couscous is not just dinner; it's a symphony of flavors where tenderness, acidity, spiciness, and sweetness intertwine in harmony.
1
Quick couscous should be thoroughly massaged with melted butter before adding water. For half a kilogram of dry couscous, about a tablespoon is needed. This butter should be rubbed into the grains, similar to making shortcrust pastry. Use your thumb to rub the butter into the grains, sifting them between your index and middle fingers as if sorting nano-beads.
- Couscous: 500 g
- Melted butter: 70 g
2
In boiling water, steep a pinch of saffron and a pinch of cinnamon. You can also add roasted and then crushed cumin and coriander seeds.
- Saffron: pinch
- Cinnamon: pinch
- Caraway: pinch
- Coriander seeds: pinch
3
The oiled couscous should be placed in a warm bowl. A heated and removed cast iron wok is ideal.
4
Pour water over the couscous just enough to cover it. Stir with a spatula, cover with a lid and let it sit for three minutes. Then remove the lid, fluff with a spatula and add another portion of boiling water, stir and cover again. For purism, before the second infusion, you can rub a bit of melted butter into the hot swollen wheat grain for an even softer texture.
- Couscous: 500 g
- Melted butter: 70 g
5
In a deep skillet, sauté a large amount of finely chopped garlic in olive oil, and as soon as the garlic starts to smell roasted, add finely chopped tomatoes.
- Olive oil: 50 ml
- Garlic: 2 heads
- Tomatoes: 500 g
6
In large quantities, for the tomatoes — peeled shrimp, lemon juice, a pinch of salt and a teaspoon of sugar — for balance, and simmer everything for 2-3 minutes after the contents of the pan start to bubble. The tomatoes should be stuck in a semi-cooked state — between raw and cooked, the shrimp should be just cooked.
- Shrimps: 500 g
- Lemon: 1 piece
- Salt: to taste
- Sugar: 1 teaspoon
7
Everything should be salted, peppered, mixed with chopped parsley, thinly sliced hot pepper, and a few drops of balsamic vinegar.
- Salt: to taste
- Ground black pepper: to taste
- Parsley: 50 g
- Chili pepper: 1 piece
- Balsamic vinegar: to taste
8
As a result, it should be something like hot gazpacho with shrimp. Pour this gazpacho over the couscous, mix it, cover it with a lid, let it sit for another minute, and then serve.
- Couscous: 500 g