Spicy Seafood Couscous

Recipe Ingredients

3 tablespoons	45ml	Olive oil - plus
1/4 cup	59ml	Olive oil
1 cup	62g / 2.2oz	Onion - chopped (large)
1		Carrot - thinly sliced
1		Celery stalk - thinly sliced
4		Garlic cloves - chopped (large)
1		Diced tomatoes in juice - (14 1/2 oz)
3		Clam juice - (8 oz)
1 1/2 lbs	681g / 24oz	Mussels - scrubbed
12		Littleneck clams - scrubbed
1 cup	237ml	Dry white wine
3 1/2 cups	829ml	Plain couscous - (20 oz)
		Salt - to taste
		Freshly-ground black pepper - to taste
1 1/2 teaspoons	7.5ml	Chopped fresh thyme
3 teaspoons	15ml	Bay leaves (small)
2 lbs	908g / 32oz	Assorted fish fillets - cut 1 1/2" pieces
		= (such as halibut, cod and red snapper)
8 oz	227g	Uncooked shrimp - peeled, deveined
		Chopped fresh parsley
1/3 cup	78ml	Hot chili paste - see * Note
		= (such as sambal oelek)

Recipe Instructions

* Note: Sambal oelek is available in Asian markets and some supermarkets.

Heat 3 tablespoons oil in heavy large pot over medium heat. Add onion; saute 5 minutes. Add carrot, celery, and garlic; saute 5 minutes. Add tomatoes with juices and 1 bottle clam juice and bring to boil. Reduce heat; simmer uncovered 10 minutes. Cover and simmer 10 minutes. Transfer mixture to processor. Blend to chunky puree; return to pot. Mix in 2 bottles clam juice to make tomato broth.

Combine mussels, clams, and wine in another large pot. Cover and cook over high heat until mussels and clams open, about 8 minutes. Using tongs, transfer mussels and clams to bowl (discard any that do not open). Strain cooking liquid into tomato broth.

Place couscous in large bowl. Bring 2 1/2 cups water, 3 cups tomato broth, and 1/4 cup oil to boil in medium saucepan. Mix into couscous. Cover; let stand until liquid is absorbed, about 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Cover; let stand until ready to serve.

Meanwhile, mix thyme and bay leaves into remaining tomato broth in pot and bring to boil over medium-high heat. Add fish. Cover and simmer 4 minutes. Add shrimp; cover and simmer until seafood is opaque in center, about 4 minutes. Turn off heat. Add reserved mussels and clams. Cover; let stand 2 minutes.

Mound couscous on platter. Top with seafood. Spoon some tomato broth over to moisten. Sprinkle with parsley. Mix 3/4 cup tomato broth and hot chili paste in small dish. Serve couscous, passing chili mixture and remaining broth separately.

This recipe yields 8 to 10 servings.

Source:
Bon Appetit, May 2002

Rating

Average rating:

7 (1 votes)

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