Crunchy shrimp w/ toasted couscous and ginger-orange sauce

I cant believe I haven't blogged about this recipe before. Its pretty much one of our favorite things to eat. If it were up to H we would have it every week. The orange-ginger sauce is to die for!

There are several steps to this recipe and it will take you about an hour but its worth it. Trust me. As long as you can multi-task you will have no problem.

Recipe from Cooking Light (Jan 2006 issue)

Makes 4 servings

Ingredients

Sauce:
1 cup orange juice
1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro
2 tablespoons reduced-fat mayonnaise
1 1/2 tablespoons fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
1 teaspoon grated peeled fresh ginger
1 teaspoon fresh lime juice
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper

Couscous:
1 cup uncooked couscous
1 1/2 cups fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
1/2 cup orange juice
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup chopped green onions
2 tablespoons sliced almonds, toasted
1 tablespoon unsalted butter

Shrimp:
20 jumbo shrimp, peeled and deveined (about 3/4 pound)
1 large egg white, lightly beaten
1/2 cup panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)
1 teaspoon chopped fresh cilantro
1/2 teaspoon grated peeled fresh ginger
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon canola oil
2 cups trimmed watercress

Preparation:

To prepare sauce, bring 1 cup orange juice to a boil in a small saucepan over medium-high heat; cook until reduced to 1/4 cup (about 10 minutes). Remove from heat; cool completely. Stir in 1 tablespoon cilantro and next 7 ingredients (through red pepper); set aside.

To prepare couscous, place couscous in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat; cook 3 minutes or until toasted, stirring constantly. Add 1 1/2 cups broth, 1/2 cup orange juice, and 1/2 teaspoon salt; bring to a boil. Remove from heat; cover and let stand 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork; add onions, almonds, and butter, stirring until butter melts. Keep warm.

To prepare shrimp, combine shrimp and egg white in a large bowl, tossing to coat. Combine the panko, 1 teaspoon cilantro, 1/2 teaspoon ginger, and black pepper in a large zip-top plastic bag. Add shrimp to the bag, and seal and shake to coat.

Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat; arrange shrimp in a single layer in pan. Cook 2 minutes on each side or until done.

Place 3/4 cup couscous on each of 4 plates; top each with 1/2 cup watercress and 5 shrimp. Drizzle each with 1 1/2 tablespoons sauce.

Notes:

- To shave off a little time I use the pre-grated ginger that comes in a tube. You can find it in the produce section of grocery store. Its usually near the fresh herbs. Also, I toss the cilantro in my mini chopper rather then chop it by hand.

- Its a good idea to double the amount of panko. I find the 1/2 cup is not enough to completely coat all shrimp.

- Make sure to get the OJ for sauce reducing and toast the almond slices in oven right off the bat. Sometimes I forget to do it and end up rushing at the end to get it all done.

- Don't forget the watercress! Its definitely adds to the flavor if dish.

Chipotle shrimp tacos

This is a recipe I just made up on the fly and it turned out pretty tasty. The shrimp were really flavorful and juicy. YUM!

Makes 4-5 small tacos

1 lb med size raw shrimp (31/40) - deveined, shells removed
1 tbs olive oil
2 tbs chipotle sauce (from the can)
2 tbs chopped fresh cilantro
1 tsp salt
White corn tortillas and any other taco fixins you want

Toss all ingredients together in a small bowl then allow to marinate 30 min in refrigerator.

If you have a veggie basket for the BBQ you can cook shrimp on the grill. That's what I did and they turned out really good. If you don't want to BBQ them you could saute in a nonstick pan.

Once cooked through, remove tails and give meat a rough chop. Assemble your tacos!! Enjoy!

Shrimp, tomato and basil pasta

This recipe is from the "Everyday Food" cookbook. Page 157



{image}

1 ½ pounds medium shrimp, peeled and deveined (tails removed)
Coarse salt and ground pepper
6 teaspoons olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 can (14.5 ounces) diced tomatoes in juice
1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
½ pound linguine
1 ½ cups lightly packed fresh basil leaves, torn into small pieces, plus extra leaves for garnish (optional)


Season shrimp with salt and pepper. In a large skillet, heat 4 teaspoons oil over high. Add shrimp; cook until opaque throughout, turning occasionally, 3 minutes. Transfer to a bowl; set aside.

Make sauce: To the same skillet, add remaining 2 teaspoons oil and garlic; cook over medium heat until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add canned tomatoes and their juice, along with 2 cups water; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, stirring occasionally, until tomatoes have softened and are saucy, about 15 minutes. Remove sauce from heat; stir in cherry tomatoes.

Meanwhile, in a large pot of boiling salted water, cook pasta until al dente, according to package instructions. Drain; return pasta to pot. Add tomato sauce, shrimp, and basil; season with salt and pepper, and toss. Serve immediately, garnished with basil leaves, if desired.


{Review}
Very easy to make
Husband approved

{Time}
30min or less

{Serve with}
Garlic bread
Salad