Chermoula Shrimp
Ingredients:
2 lb medium shrimp
5 tsp hot paprika
2 tsp ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 cup firmly packed fresh Italian parsley
1/2 cup firmly packed fresh cilantro leaves
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice add more if needed -1 lemon
2/3 cup olive oil –add more olive oil if needed
Kosher salt and fresh black pepper too taste
1 1/2 cups couscous
1 1/2 cups chicken stock or water
Procedure:
Peel shrimp, leaving tails intact. Gently pull out the dark vein from the backs, starting at the head end. Place shrimp in a bowl. Heat the paprika and cumin in a dry skillet for one minute or until fragrant. Remove from the heat. Blend or process the spices, parsley, cilantro, lemon juice, and 1/2 cup (125 mL) of the oil until they become a paste. Season with salt and pepper. Pour over shrimp and mix well. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, to cook the couscous, bring the stock or water to a boil, stir in the couscous, lemon zest, the remaining oil, and a little salt. Stir, remove from heat right away, cover, and let stand for five minutes. Fluff couscous with a fork.
As the couscous is resting, heat on high. Cook the shrimp for three to four minutes, turning them constantly and brushing with any excess marinade, until just cooked through. Spoon the couscous onto warm plates, arrange shrimp on top, and garnish with cilantro leaves.