This recipe from the February 2012 issue of Chatelaine is spicy, quick and easy. I had never toasted couscous before cooking it, and it adds a great depth of flavour. The couscous takes 10 minutes to toast and cook, and the shrimp takes about five minutes to cook, so you can have dinner on the table in a flash.

Avoiding Additives and Preservatives

The ingredients in this recipe that may contain additives and preservatives include the shrimp, roasted red peppers and hot sauce. Look for frozen shrimp with just salt added. Unico brand roasted red peppers contain no artificial ingredients and Tabasco brand chipotle hot sauce is all-natural. If you can’t find it, use regular hot sauce with some chipotle chili powder or smoked paprika added.

Toast couscous until browned

Toasting adds flavour to the couscous

Saute shrimp for 2-3 minutes

Add roasted peppers

Chipotle shrimp with couscous

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups dry couscous

¼ tsp salt

1 tsp olive oil

340 g pkg frozen shrimp, thawed and peeled

1 cup chopped roasted red peppers

1 tbsp chipotle hot sauce, such as Tabasco brand

½ cup chopped basil

Preparation:

Boil 1 ½ cups water in a kettle. Heat a medium non-stick frying pan over medium-high. Add couscous and toast, stirring frequently, until golden, about 5 min. Transfer to a medium bowl. Pour boiling water over couscous. Add salt and stir. Cover with plastic wrap and let sit 5 min.

Return pan to medium-high. Add oil, then shrimp. Cook until shrimp turns pink, 3 to 4 min. Add red peppers and hot sauce. Stir until peppers are heated through, about 2 min.

Fluff couscous with a fork. Scoop into bowls. Top couscous with shrimp and sprinkle with basil. Serves 4.

From the February 2012 issue of Chatelaine