When the taste buds call for something healthy and flavorful, I always resort to cooking up a dish with seafood in it, and there’s no faster protein to whip up than shrimp.  My love affair with this crustacean started at a very young age when my parents used to bring us to Anthony’s Fish Grotto in San Diego and we ordered the shrimp cocktail.  Now that I don’t have the luxury of sitting around having shrimp cocktails on the waterfront, I opt to keeping a few packs of frozen shrimp from Whole Foods in the freezer.  So on days when I’m not feeling like cooking up a feast, I can marry my favorite seafood with some fresh produce and create a simple dish like this.   With a combination of vivid flavors and colors this dish is like the shrimp fried rice of the Mediterranean Sea.  So, who says you can’t make an impressive dish in less than 15 minutes?

The Seafood Du jour (serves 4) - Shrimp Couscous

• 1 Pack of [Garlic] Couscous (Traditional or Instant)
• Olive Oil
• 2 cloves of Garlic
• ½ Onion, julienne
• A pinch of Salt/Pepper
• 1 Red bell pepper, sliced
• 1 Yellow Zucchini
• Half a bag of frozen shrimp (unthawed)
• 1 Tablespoon of Seafood broth or Clam juice
• 2 tablespoons of White Cooking Wine
• A few leaves of Basil

• Start making Couscous according to packet over the stove (Traditional or Instant).  Should take 10 minutes to cook.
• While the couscous is cooking, heat a pan on medium-high.  Drizzle pan with olive oil.  When oil is heated, add garlic and season with salt.  Then add onions, bell pepper, cooking wine, and clam juice – cook until softened.
• Lastly, add Zucchini and Shrimp.  Cook until shrimp is pink (don’t overcook).
• Drop heat to low, throw in chopped basil, and cover.
• Let it sit for 5 minutes. Serve over a bed of couscous.