Shrimp Couscous Paulista (main dish)
Serves: 6-8 people
Time Preparing: 50-60 minutes
Time Cooking: 50-60 minutes
Total Time: 50-60 minutes
Ingredients
For Couscous
- 4 cups (2 pounds) medium wild shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 2 cups tomatoes, peeled, seeded, finely chopped
- ½ cup carrots, finally chopped
- ½ cup fresh or frozen green peas
- ¼ cup pitted black olives, finely chopped
- 1 large onion, finely chopped
- 8-10 cloves garlic, minced
- 3-4 tablespoons of ghee or fat of choice
- ¼ tablespoon sea salt
- 2-3 tablespoons cilantro, finely chopped
- ¼ tablespoon cayenne pepper, finely chopped
- 7 cups cooked yucca * (cooked and grinded) – around 2-3 pounds of cooked yucca
For the Salad
Fresh lettuce and arugula leaves
- Juice of ½ a lemon
- 2-3 tablespoons olive oil
- Salt to taste
Preparation
Step 1
* I usually cook the yucca root a day before and keep it in the refrigerator until the time I start preparing this dish (It makes easier to grind the cooked yucca in the food processor and the grinded cooked yucca looks like a flour).
Place the peeled yucca root cut into chunks in a large pot, cover with filtered water
Bring to a boil over medium heat, partially cover with the lid
Cook until soft, about 30-40 minutes
Strain in a colander, discard the water (never use the water you cooked yucca because it is toxic), and let cool
Place yucca in a glassed container with lid
Keep in the refrigerator for use in the next day
Step 2 (grinding yucca in a food processor)
Using a food processor, work in batches, add the cooked yucca chunks a few at a time, pulse until it is grinded
Repeat this process until all yucca is grinded, reserve
Step 3
In a large pot heat ghee or fat of choice over medium heat
Add the onion, stir occasionally, sauté until lightly brown, 10 minutes
Add the garlic, stir occasionally, sauté until golden brown, 5 minutes
Add the tomato, stir until well mixed, cover the pan, sauté, 2-3 minutes
Add the black olives, carrots, palm hearts and peas, stir carefully until well mixed
Add the shrimp, salt and cayenne, mix well and sauté, 10-15 minutes or until shrimp is cooked
Taste the seasoning and add more salt if necessary
Add the cilantro, stir well to mix, turn off the heat
Step 4
Carefully add to the sautéed shrimp the grinded yucca (one cup at a time), continuously stirring, until forms a soft dough
Transfer dough to a Bundt pan lightly greased with olive oil, reserve
Step 5 (preparing the salad)
In a bowl combine lettuce, arugula, lemon juice, salt, and olive oil
Gently toss until well mixed
Step 5
In a serving plate make a bed with lettuce and arugula salad
Carefully flip the couscous over onto the salad bed
Garnish with eggs, heart of palm, fresh chopped herbs and olives
A main dish that can be served hot, warm or cold