Pearl couscous makes shrimp cocktail into a full meal
It’s hard to beat shrimp cocktail as an appetizer. When prepared with skill, shrimp can be tender and sweet, perfect for dipping in tangy, piquant cocktail sauce. And, with the right additions, it’s possible to use shrimp cocktail as foundation for a filling main dish.
Pearl couscous is the perfect quick-cooking starch to pair with shrimp
To transform shrimp cocktail into a main dish, you’ll first need to add a starch that can cook with the shrimp. While rice and pasta could both work, the tender yet slightly springy texture of pearl couscous echoes that of shrimp and makes it an ideal accompaniment. Even better, it can cook in 10 to 15 minutes.
There are two ways to cook pearl couscous: one is in boiling salted water, as you would cook pasta, and another is steamed in a covered pot, as you would cook rice. The second method works best here. Toast the couscous in olive oil with a large handful of scallions to build flavor before adding your cooking liquid.
Bloody Mary mix mimics cocktail sauce flavor
Cocktail sauce, made from ketchup, horseradish, citrus and spices, is a requirement for shrimp cocktail. But it’s not the most versatile cooking ingredient; simmer it with couscous or use it to steam shrimp and it’ll lose its piquancy. But Bloody Mary mix contains many of the same ingredients and is fluid enough to form a great cooking liquid for the couscous. Stir in a bit more mix right before serving to bring back some of its brightness.
A quick marinade and short steam yields tender shrimp
Shrimp benefit from a bit of thinking ahead. They don’t need a long marinating time, but if you season them right before starting the couscous, they’ll turn out juicier than if you don’t. Add a bit of olive oil and lemon zest while you’re at it; these won’t be absorbed by the shrimp, but they will enhance their flavor after cooking.
The simplest way to cook the shrimp is the best — simply lay them on top of the couscous and let them steam in the flavorful cooking liquid. Large shrimp only need about 5 minutes to steam this way, so get the couscous mostly cooked before adding the shrimp. Once they’re curled and pink, you’re ready to finish the dish with additional scallions, Bloody Mary mix and lemon wedges.
Shrimp Cocktail Couscous
- 1 pound large shrimp, peeled, deveined and thawed if frozen
- 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
- 1 1/4 teaspoons kosher salt, divided
- 1 lemon
- 1 1/2 cups pearl couscous
- 3 scallions, finely chopped, divided
- 1 1/4 cups Bloody Mary mix, divided
- 1 cup water
- In a medium bowl, combine the shrimp, 2 tablespoons oil and 3/4 teaspoon salt. Zest the lemon over the shrimp and stir to combine. Let marinate at room temperature while you prepare the couscous.
- Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons oil in a large deep skillet over medium heat. Add the couscous and about two-thirds of the scallions and cook, stirring frequently, until the scallions are tender and the couscous is toasted, 3 to 5 minutes. Add 1 cup Bloody Mary mix, water and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer until the couscous is al dente, about 10 minutes.
- Uncover the skillet and lay the shrimp on top of the couscous in a single layer. Cover the skillet again and continue to cook until the shrimp are cooked through and the couscous is tender, about 5 minutes.
- Slice the zested lemon into wedges for serving.
- When the shrimp are cooked, stir in the remaining 1/4 cup Bloody Mary mix. Top with the remaining scallions. Serve the shrimp and couscous with the lemon wedges.
Serves 4.