Eye for a Recipe

When I saw this slow-roasted salmon on the cover of the June 2012 Bon Appetit, I couldn’t wait to make it. The salmon is placed on a bed of fresh herbs and roasted, along with cherry tomatoes on the vine. The salmon is served with a delicious yogurt sauce made with herbs and lemon zest. The recipe calls for Israeli couscous, also known as Ptitim, which is a toasted pasta in the shape of tiny balls and is quite different from regular couscous. I made it for this recipe and it was quite good, if a bit bland, so I would substitute regular couscous next time. The couscous may have been bland because I couldn’t find za’atar, a Middle Eastern spice that contains sumac, sesame seeds and other spices. If you make this, I suggest you flavour the couscous with your favourite spice combination.

Avoiding Additives and Preservatives

Some yogurts contains additives and preservatives, so check the label. Be sure to use butter than does not contain colour, such as Gay Lea unsalted brand.

Prepare a bed of fresh herbs

Add the salmon and cherry tomatoes

The roasted salmon

Slow-roasted salmon with cherry tomatoes and couscous

Ingredients:

Yogurt Sauce

1 cup plain Greek yogurt

½ cup plain yogurt

3 tablespoons chopped fresh dill

2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives

1 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest

Kosher salt

Salmon

6 tablespoons olive oil, divided

½ bunch dill fronds

½ bunch thyme sprigs

1 3-pound piece center-cut skin-on salmon fillet, preferably wild king, pin bones removed

Kosher salt

8 ounces small cherry tomatoes on the vine (optional)

Tomatoes and Couscous

2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved

4 tablespoons olive oil, divided

2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley

2 tablespoons za’atar (optional)

Kosher salt

2 cups Israeli couscous

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

Preparation:

Yogurt Sauce

Mix first 5 ingredients in a medium bowl until well combined. Season with salt. Can be made 3 days ahead. Cover and chill.

Salmon

Preheat oven to 325°. Pour 4 tbsp oil in a roasting pan just large enough to fit the salmon. Make a bed of herbs in bottom of pan; top with salmon, skin side down. Drizzle salmon with remaining 2 Tbsp. oil and season with salt. Top with tomatoes, if using. Bake until salmon is just cooked through in the center (a small knife will slide easily through flesh), 25–30 minutes.

Tomatoes and Couscous

Toss tomatoes with 3 tbsp oil, parsley, and za’atar, if using, in a medium bowl. Season to taste with salt. Set aside.

Bring a medium pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add couscous and cook until tender, about 7 minutes. Drain couscous; transfer to a large bowl. Stir in butter and remaining 1 Tbsp. oil. Season to taste with salt. Gently fold tomatoes into couscous.

Use a large spoon or fork to serve salmon, leaving skin in pan. Serve with yogurt sauce and couscous. Serves 4.

From the June 2012 issue of Bon Appetit

This tasty stir-fry uses skinless, boneless chicken thighs, which are less expensive than chicken breasts and, I believe, taste better. You can make this dish quickly; make the marinade, cut up and marinate the chicken, toast the cashews, stir-fry the veggies and chicken, add the classic Thai flavourings of fish sauce, sugar and lime juice and, finally, add the cashews and basil. If you don’t have raw cashews, used roasted ones and skip the toasting step. Regular basil works just fine if you can’t find Thai basil. You can make this dish as mild or spicy as you like by using more (or fewer) hot peppers and/or hot pepper flakes.

Avoiding Additives and Preservatives

Fish sauce often contains MSG, so look for a brand without flavouring or preservatives. Be sure to use fresh lime juice, as the concentrate (in addition to being bitter) contains sodium benzoate.

Marinate cubes of skinless, boneless chicken thighs

Toast raw cashews

Stir-fry vegetables

Add chicken

Add basil and toasted cashews

Stir-fried Thai chicken with cashews and basil

Ingredients:

1 lb (454 g) boneless skinless chicken thighs or chicken breasts, cut_in 1-inch (2.5 cm) cubes

2 tsp (10 mL) grated gingerroot

¼ tsp (1 mL) salt

¼ tsp (1 mL) pepper

2 tsp (10 mL) cornstarch

2 tbsp (30 mL) vegetable oil

1 cup (250 mL) raw cashews

¼ cup (60 mL) thinly sliced shallots or onions

3 cloves of garlic, minced

1 tsp (5 mL) chopped fresh hot pepper, (preferably red bird eye)

1 tbsp (15 mL) fish sauce

2 tsp (10 mL) granulated sugar

2 tsp (10 mL) lime juice

1 cup (250 mL) loosely packed Thai basil leaves or regular basil

Preparation:

In bowl, toss together chicken, ginger, salt and pepper. Mix in cornstarch and 1 tbsp (15 mL) water; set aside.

In skillet or wok, heat oil over high heat; stir-fry cashews for 1 minute or until golden. With slotted spoon, remove and set aside.

Add shallots, garlic and hot pepper to pan; stir-fry for about 2 minutes or until golden. Add chicken mixture; stir-fry for 4 minutes. Stir in fish sauce, sugar and lime juice; cook for 1 minute or until juices run clear when chicken is pierced.

Return cashews to pan along with basil.

Serve with rice and an oriental green vegetable, such as Chinese broccoli, snow peas or bok choy. Serves 4.

From Canadian Living

This recipe from the April 2012 issue of Real Simple calls for ingredients you may already have in your pantry and freezer: dried pasta, panko breadcrumbs, shrimp and marinated artichoke hearts. The panko, which is toasted in oil, provides flavour and crunch, while the artichoke hearts provide additional tang. This 30-minute meal is a great weeknight supper.

Avoiding Additives and Preservatives

The ingredients in this recipe that may contain additives and preservatives are the breadcrumbs, shrimp and artichoke hearts. Panko often contains no preservatives, unlike regular dried breadcrumbs. My dear friend Anne Marie also just told me about ShaSha brand breadcrumbs, which are similar to panko in texture but are made from spelt and are all-natural. Look for frozen shrimp with only salt added and Unico jarred artichoke hearts.

Toast panko in oil

Stir in chopped parsley

Saute shrimp

Add artichoke hearts and cooked pasta

Linguine with shrimp, artichokes and crispy breadcrumbs

Ingredients:

¾ pound linguine

3 tablespoons olive oil

½ cup panko breadcrumbs

kosher salt and black pepper

2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

1 pound peeled and deveined large shrimp

12 ounces marinated artichoke hearts, drained and halved (1 ½ cups)

¼ to ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper

Preparation:

Cook the pasta according to the package directions. Reserve ½ cup of the cooking water; drain the pasta and return it to the pot.

Meanwhile, heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the breadcrumbs and ¼ teaspoon each salt and black pepper and cook, stirring, until golden brown, 2 to 4 minutes. Mix in the parsley and transfer to a plate. Wipe out the skillet.

Heat the remaining tablespoon of oil in the skillet over medium-high heat. Season the shrimp with ¼ teaspoon each salt and black pepper and cook, tossing frequently, until opaque throughout, 4 to 6 minutes. Add the artichoke hearts and crushed red pepper and cook, tossing, until heated through, 1 to 2 minutes.

Add the shrimp mixture and reserved cooking water to the pasta and cook over medium heat, tossing, until slightly thickened, 1 to 2 minutes. Serve the pasta sprinkled with the breadcrumb mixture. Serves 4.

From the April 2012 issue of Real Simple

This Vietnamese recipe from Canadian Living is light and full of flavour. It cooks very quickly, but you can also make the broth ahead. You need cheesecloth for this recipe so you can tie up the spices into a little bundle. Using the bundle ensures the broth has maximum flavour without pieces of star anise, seeds and peppercorns floating around in it. I used organic chicken stock instead of beef stock and it worked fine. I omitted the bean sprouts, but don’t omit the coriander and mint; they add wonderful flavour and colour.

Avoiding Additives and Preservatives

The ingredients that may include additives and preservatives are the stock, fish sauce and lime juice. Use an all-natural stock such as Imagine brand, a fish sauce with no MSG and fresh lime juice. Lime juice concentrate contains preservatives such as sodium benzoate.

Tie spices up in cheesecloth

Make stock and then add beef

Place cooked noodles in bowl and pour beef and broth over

Ingredients

3 thick slices gingerroot

2 whole cloves

2 cloves of garlic, smashed

1 whole star anise

1 strip (3 inches/8 cm long) lime rind

½ tsp (2 mL) coriander seeds

½ tsp (2 mL) black peppercorns

4 cups (1 L) beef stock

2 cups (500 mL) water

½ onion

1 tbsp (15 mL) fish sauce

8 oz (227 g) top sirloin grilling steaks

1/3 cup (75 mL) chopped fresh coriander

2 tbsp (30 mL) chopped fresh mint

2 tbsp (30 mL) lime juice

2 green onions, chopped

6 oz (170 g) rice stick noodles

1 cup (250 mL) bean sprouts

Chopped Fresh mint or coriander or sliced green onions

Preparation:

In centre of 6-inch (15 cm) double-thickness square of cheesecloth, place gingerroot, cloves, garlic, star anise, lime rind, coriander seeds and peppercorns; pull up corners and tie into bundle with string.

In saucepan, bring stock, water, onion, fish sauce and spice bag to boil; reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Discard spice bag. (Make-ahead: Let cool for 30 minutes. Refrigerate, uncovered, until cold. Cover and refrigerate for up to 2 days. Bring to simmer before continuing.)

Slice beef as thinly as possible; add to saucepan and bring to boil, skimming off any foam with spoon. Reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Add chopped coriander, mint, lime juice and green onions.

Meanwhile, in pot of boiling salted water, cook rice noodles until tender but firm, about 5 minutes; drain. Divide among 4 soup bowls. Top with bean sprouts. Pour beef mixture over noodles. Garnish with mint. Serves 4.

From the March 2003 issue of Canadian Living

This gorgeous dish from Bonnie Stern is a perfect way to usher in the warmer weather and to enjoy spring vegetables. Halibut is briefly marinated in oil, lemon zest and fresh thyme and then seared. Be careful not to overcook the fish. The halibut is served over a ragout of asparagus, peas, baby spinach, basil and green onions. Healthy, lovely to look at and delicious!

Avoiding Additives and Preservatives

The only two things that may contain artificial ingredients are the stock and the butter. Look for an all-natural stock, such as Imagine brand, or use water. Your butter needs only one ingredient—cream. Try Gay Lea unsalted butter.

Lemon zest and fresh thyme for the marinade

Marinate halibut in olive oil, zest and thyme

Saute shallots

Lightly cook asparagus in stock

Add the baby spinach; it will cook down....

...like this

Meanwhile, sear the halibut

Halibut with spring ragout

Ingredients:

1½ lbs boneless, skinless halibut fillets (about 1-inch thick)
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tbsp grated lemon peel
1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil or butter — divided
1 small shallot, thinly sliced
½ lb asparagus, trimmed, peeled 2-inch up stalks, cut into 2-inch pieces
1 cup chicken or vegetable stock or water
1½ cups fresh or frozen peas
5 oz fresh baby spinach
2 tbsp torn basil leaves
2 green onions, sliced
2 tbsp butter

Preparation:

Drizzle halibut with olive oil and season with lemon peel, thyme, salt and pepper. Marinate in refrigerator until ready to cook. Heat 1 tbsp olive oil or butter (fish browns a bit better in butter) in a large nonstick skillet and cook over medium heat 3 to 4 minutes per side for 1-inch thick fillets.

Meanwhile, for the ragout, heat remaining oil or butter in a large deep skillet on medium heat and cook shallot gently about 3 minutes until lightly browned. Add asparagus and cook another minute. Add stock and bring to a simmer. Asparagus should be bright green. Add peas and cook one minute. Add spinach and turn spinach over with tongs until starting to wilt. Add basil, green onions and butter. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Be careful not to overcook — everything should look bright and taste very fresh.

Spoon ragout into shallow soup bowls with the juices and arrange fish on top. Makes 4-6 servings

From the April 21, 2012 National Post – Recipe by Bonnie Stern

My Family Table, A Passionate Plea for Home Cooking by Chef John Besh has received several very positive reviews, so I picked up a copy. The first recipe I made from it is this Couscous with Spicy Chicken, and it was very good, especially the couscous. This recipe calls for cooked chicken, so it is a good way to use up leftovers or you can cook the chicken ahead of time. The chicken is tossed in a spice blend and reheated. The couscous includes cabbage, carrots, scallions and turmeric.

Avoiding Additives and Preservatives

Check your dry spices to make sure they don’t contain colour or anti-caking chemicals. If you don’t have homemade stock on hand (and who does, really?) use an all-natural stock such as Imagine brand. Make sure the butter does not contain colour—I use Gay Lea Unsalted Butter, which has a single ingredient: cream. It is easy to make harissa from scratch—the recipe is below.

Grind spices in a spice grinder or mortar and pestle

Toss cooked chicken with spices and oil

Saute vegetables for couscous

Fluff couscous to remove lumps

Couscous with spicy chicken

Ingredients:

For the spice blend and chicken

1 tsp ground ginger

1 tsp fennel seeds

1 tsp coriander seeds

½ tsp red pepper flakes

½ tsp cinnamon

Salt

Freshly ground black pepper

1 roast chicken, cooked and cut into pieces

2 tbsp olive oil

For the couscous

2 tbsp vegetable oil

½ head cabbage, chopped

1 carrot, peeled and chopped

2 green onions, finely chopped

1 clove garlic, sliced

2 cups couscous

1 tsp turmeric

Salt

2 cups chicken broth

1 tbsp butter

Freshly ground black pepper

Leaves from 2 sprigs of fresh mint, chopped

Harissa (optional)

Harissa

2 tablespoons sweet paprika

1 chipotle in adobo, minced, plus 1 teaspoon adobo sauce

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 teaspoons ground cumin

2 teaspoons ground caraway

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for brushing

Preparation:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. For the spice blend, toast the ginger, fennel, coriander, red pepper and cinnamon in a small skillet over medium heat for 2 minutes. Besh urges you to stop and smell the toasting spices. Put the spices in a spice grinder or mortar and pestle and process to a fine powder.

Salt and pepper the chicken and toss in with the olive oil and spice blend in a large bowl. Transfer the chicken to a baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes, or until it is hot. Remember, you are just reheating the chicken; it should be already cooked through.

For the couscous, in a medium saucepan combine the oil, cabbage, carrots, green onions and garlic. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring, for 3-5 minutes until soft. Add the couscous with the turmeric and a pinch of salt. Stir to make sure all the grains are coated with oil, then add the broth.

Bring to a simmer, remove from the heat, and cover. Let stand until the couscous is tender and the water is absorbed, 5-7 minutes. Fluff with a fork to make sure there are no lumps, then add the butter and mix well. Season with salt and pepper and add the mint.

Mound the couscous in a bowl and top with the spiced chicken. Serve with harissa and drizzles of olive oil. Serves 4-6.

From My Family Table by John Besh

This recipe from the April 2012 issue of Martha Stewart Living calls for bucatini, which is a long, hollow pasta. It’s a nice change from regular spaghetti or linguine and it does a great job soaking up the sauce. This recipe uses pantry staples—salt, olive oil, garlic, oregano, hot pepper flakes, canned tomatoes, canned clams, capers and pasta. It’s a perfect weeknight supper—the sauce takes about 10 minutes to cook and then you add the not-quite-cooked pasta to it to finish the dish.

Avoiding Additives and Preservatives

The ingredients in this recipe that may contain artificial ingredients include the tomatoes, clams and capers. Look for San Marzano canned plum tomatoes that contain only tomatoes and salt, clams with only clam juice and salt and an all-natural brand of capers, such as Crosse & Blackwell.

See the holes? Bucatini is a hollow pasta.

Use canned clams with no artificial ingredients added

First, simmer sauce.

Add clams and heat through.

Add slightly undercooked pasta and cook until done.

Bucatini with clam sauce and hot pepper.

Ingredients:

Coarse salt

¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling

4 garlic cloves, smashed

½ teaspoon dried oregano

Red-pepper flakes

1 can (14 ounces) whole plum tomatoes, chopped, plus ½ cup juice

2 cans (6.5 ounces each) chopped clams, drained, reserving 1 cup clam juice

1 tablespoon capers (preferably salt-packed), rinsed and drained

3/4 pound bucatini (perciatelli) or other long pasta

Coarse sea salt, for sprinkling

Directions:

While bringing a large pot of salted water to a boil, heat oil with garlic, oregano, and a large pinch of red-pepper flakes in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook until fragrant and garlic is golden, about 2 minutes.

Stir in tomatoes and their juice, and the reserved clam juice. Bring to a simmer, and cook until sauce is slightly thickened, about 7 minutes. Reduce heat to low. Stir in clams and capers, and cook until heated through.

When water boils, add pasta to boiling water, and cook until almost al dente, about 10 minutes (do not drain water). Transfer pasta to skillet using a strainer. Gradually stir in 1 cup pasta water, about 1/2 cup at a time, and cook over low heat, tossing, until pasta has absorbed some sauce and is well coated, 2 to 3 minutes.

Divide among 4 bowls. Drizzle with oil, and sprinkle with red-pepper flakes and coarse sea salt. Serves 4.

From the April 2012 issue of Martha Stewart Living

This delicious dish from the July 2007 issue of Gourmet is my go-to recipe for entertaining. A whole chicken is butterflied and then a ricotta-herb mixture is spread under the skin before roasting. The filling puffs up slightly and adds delicious flavour to the bird. Because the chicken is butterflied, it roasts in about an hour. Bake the extra filling and serve it alongside the chicken for an elegant presentation.

Avoiding Additives and Preservatives

Most of the ingredients in this recipe are all natural, but be sure to buy ricotta and Parmigiano-Reggiano without colour or preservatives.

Push ricotta-herb stuffing under the skin of the butterflied chicken

Be careful not to tear the skin as you push the stuffing in

Bake the extra filling in a shallow dish

The filling puffs slightly, adds flavour and keeps the chicken moist

Serve baked filling alongside chicken

Ingredients:

For filling

4 garlic cloves, minced

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

4 cups whole-milk ricotta (preferably fresh; 2 pounds)

2 large eggs, lightly beaten

1 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano (2 ounces)

¼ cup chopped fresh oregano

¼ cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

For chicken

2 whole chickens (each about 3 ½ pounds)

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Preparation:

Make filling

Preheat oven to 400°F with racks in middle and lower third.

Cook garlic in oil in a small heavy skillet over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until pale golden, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and stir in ricotta, eggs, parmesan, herbs, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.

Stuff and roast chickens

Cut out backbones from chickens with kitchen shears (freeze bones for making stock if desired). Pat chickens dry, then spread flat, skin sides up, on a cutting board. Cut a ½ -inch slit on each side of chicken in center of triangle of skin between thigh and breast (near drumstick), then tuck knob of each drumstick through slit.

Sprinkle each chicken with ¾ teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon pepper and spread chickens flat, skin sides up, in an oiled large (17- by 12-inch) shallow baking pan. Gently slide your finger between skin and flesh of breast and legs of 1 chicken to loosen skin (be careful not to tear skin). Using a small spoon, slide 2/3 cup ricotta mixture under skin, using a finger on outside of skin to spread filling over meat of breast, thighs, and drumsticks. Tuck wing tips under. Stuff second chicken in same manner. Brush skin of chickens all over with oil (2 tablespoons) and sprinkle each with ¾ teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon pepper.

Spoon remaining filling into an oiled 1-quart shallow baking dish (10 by 7 inches).

Bake chickens in middle of oven 30 minutes, then put dish of stuffing in oven on lower rack. Continue baking until chicken is just cooked through and an instant-read thermometer inserted into thickest part of a thigh (through stuffing; do not touch bone) registers 170°F and until gratin is puffed and golden, about 30 minutes more. Let chickens stand 10 minutes, then cut each into quarters. Serve with gratin. Serves 6.

Make ahead: Filling can be made 1 day ahead and chilled, covered. Bring to room temperature before stuffing chickens.

From the July 2007 issue of Gourmet

My big spring work project is over, so I am back in the kitchen. I had a hankering for a new pasta dish, so I made the Fresh Herb Pappardelle with Veal and Lemon from The Pasta Cookbook published by Williams-Sonoma. I made the pasta from scratch, which is relatively easy to do with a hand-cranked pasta maker or stand-mixer pasta attachment. And it is so worth it, because the pasta is translucent, tender and light and cooks very quickly. The Williams-Sonoma recipe for egg pasta can be found at  http://www.williams-sonoma.com/recipe/egg-pasta.html. My pasta attachment makes fettuccine, so that is the width of pasta I used. I also used veal cutlets instead of veal shoulder and it was fine. The sauce comes together in less than an hour and is elegant enough to serve to company.

Avoiding Additives and Preservatives

Almost everything in this recipe is additive free, except for the stock. If you are not using homemade stock, try one without additives, preservatives and artificial flavour, such as Imagine brand.

To make pasta, start with flour with a well in the middle to hold eggs and oil

Cut pasta into four small portions and flatten

Roll the dough through the pasta rollers until very thin

Run the sheets through the pasta cutters to make fettuccine

Form fettuccine into nests and freeze or refrigerate until ready to cook

Sauce ingredients

Saute shallots and mushrooms

Brown the veal

Simmer the ingredients together before adding cream and pasta

Fettuccine with veal and lemon

Ingredients:

1 lb. fresh egg pasta

1 lb. veal shoulder, partially frozen and cut into thin strips 1 inch long and ¼ inch wide

4 tbsp unsalted butter

2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

2 large shallots, minced

½ lb. fresh white mushrooms, brushed clean and thinly sliced

½ cup dry sherry

1 ½ cups low-sodium chicken stock

1 tsp freshly chopped thyme or ½ tsp dried thyme

1 lemon zest strip, three inches long and one inch wide

2 tbsp chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Fine sea salt and freshly ground pepper

1 cup heavy cream

Kosher salt for cooking pasta

Preparation:

Pat veal dry with paper towels and set aside. In a large non-stick frying pan over medium heat, melt the butter with the olive oil Add the shallots and sauté until tender, about two minutes. Raise the heat to medium-high and add the mushrooms. Sauté gently until softened, about two minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the shallot and mushroom mixture to a plate and set aside.

Raise the heat to high and add the veal to the pan. Sauté until the meat colours on the surface, about two minutes. Add the sherry and reduce the heat to medium. Sauté until most of the alcohol evaporates, about three minutes. Add the broth, raise the heat to high, and bring to a boil. Add the thyme and immediately reduce the heat to low. Simmer, covered, for 15 minutes. Uncover, add the lemon zest and chopped parsley, and return the mushroom mixture to the pan. Season with sea salt and pepper and simmer, uncovered, until the veal is tender and the liquid is reduced to about 1 ¼ cups, about 15 minutes longer. Remove and discard the lemon zest. Add the cream and heat, stirring, just until small bubbles begin to forma round the edges of the pan. Do not let the cream boil. Remove from the heat and cover to keep warm.

In a large pot, bring five quarts of water to a rapid boil. Add two tablespoons kosher salt and the pasta and cover the pot. When the water returns to a boil, uncover, cook for about a minute or until tender and then drain. Add the pasta to the sauce in the pan and toss until the pasta is well coated with the sauce. Transfer to a warmed large, shallow serving bowl or individual shallow bowls and serve right away. Serves four.

From Williams-Sonoma The Pasta Book

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