cod + shrimp + couscous + basil + serrano
I was looking forward to cooking dinner for my witty and pretty friend April. We both wanted something healthy, but I didn’t want to serve something boring. The spice and the flavor from this dish gave it the kick needed to make this worthy of our girls night in.
This was inspired from a Jamie Oliver recipe that was featured on the goop.com magazine.
1 cup quick-cook couscous
olive oil
2 lemons
sea salt and freshly ground
2 cloves of garlic
1 fresh serrano
a bunch of fresh basil
I teaspoon whole cumin seeds
¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 x 6-ounce white fish fillets, skin off and bones removed
¾ pound large shrimp, raw, peeled
1 x 14-ounce can of diced tomatoes
2 handfuls of fresh or frozen peas, fava beans, or green beans (or use a mixture)
1. Cook the couscous according to directions. I used pearled couscous for a hearty texture.
2. Get a large saucepan on a medium heat. Peel and finely slice your garlic. Finely slice your chili. Pick the basil leaves off the stalks. Put the smaller ones to one side and roughly chop the larger ones. Add a couple of lugs of olive oil to the hot pan. Add the garlic, chili, basil, cumin seeds, and cinnamon. Give it all a stir and put the fish fillets on top. Scatter over the shrimp. Add the canned tomatoes and the peas and beans. Squeeze in the juice from the two remaining lemon halves. Put a lid on the pan. Bring to a boil, then turn the heat down to a simmer and cook for about 8 minutes, or until the fish is cooked through and flakes easily. Taste, and season with salt and pepper.
3. By the time the fish is cooked, the couscous should have sucked up all the water and be ready to serve. Spoon the couscous into a large serving bowl and give it a stir with a fork to help it fluff up. Top with the fish, vegetables, and juices from the pan, sprinkle with the reserved basil leaves, and pour a glass of wine and enjoy!
brigitte in the kitchen 