Shrimp and Vegetable Couscous

Ingredients

• 1 pound medium shrimp, shelled and deveined, shells reserved
• 2 1/3 cups cold water
• 1/3 cup olive oil
• 2 zucchinis, diced
• 1 eggplant, diced
• Salt and ground black pepper to taste
• 1/2 cup diced tomato
• 2 teaspoons olive oil, or as needed
• 2 cups couscous
• 1/2 bunch fresh tarragon, chopped
• 1/2 bunch fresh dill, chopped
• 1 pinch cayenne, or to taste

Directions

Melt butter in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Saute shrimp shells in melted butter until pink and fragrant, 3 to 4 minutes. Add water; bring to a simmer, reduce heat to low, and simmer until flavors combine, about 20 minutes.

Heat 1/3 cup olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Saute zucchini and eggplant with a pinch of salt and pepper in hot oil until soft, 6 to 7 minutes. Clear a space in the center of the skillet. Add tomato; saute in the center of the skillet until slightly caramelized, 3 to 4 minutes. Add garlic to the skillet; cook and stir all vegetables together until garlic is fragrant, about 1 minute.

Heat 2 teaspoons oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Saute shrimp in hot oil until shrimp are pink, about 1 minute per side.

Combine vegetable mixture, shrimp, couscous, tarragon, and dill together in a bowl. Season with salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and pat mixture into a flat shape.

Pour hot shrimp stock through a strainer into couscous mixture, discarding strained shells. Cover the bowl with aluminum foil and let sit until couscous is tender and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Toss.