Toaster-Oven Baked Shrimp with Couscous, Leeks, and Tarragon-Orange Vinaigrette
By America's Test KitchenPublished on January 18, 2022
Time
1 hour
Yield
Serves 4
Ingredients
Before You Begin
For an accurate measurement of boiling water, bring a kettle of water to a boil and then measure out the desired amount. Before starting this recipe, confirm that a 13 by 9-inch baking pan fits in your toaster oven and has at least 2 inches of space between the pan and the top heating element. Depending on your toaster oven, you may need to lower the rack position.
Instructions
- Adjust toaster oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 450 degrees. Combine leeks; couscous; 2 tablespoons oil; garlic; ½ teaspoon salt; ¼ teaspoon pepper; and saffron, if using, in bowl. Cover and microwave, stirring occasionally, until leeks are softened, about 6 minutes. Stir in boiling water and wine, then transfer mixture to 13 by 9-inch baking pan.
- Sprinkle shrimp with ½ teaspoon salt and remaining ¼ teaspoon pepper. Nestle shrimp into couscous mixture and cover pan tightly with aluminum foil. Bake until couscous is tender and shrimp are opaque throughout, 30 to 35 minutes, rotating pan halfway through baking.
- Meanwhile, whisk tarragon, vinegar, mustard, orange zest and juice, remaining 3 tablespoons oil, and remaining ⅛ teaspoon salt together in bowl. Remove dish from oven. Drizzle vinaigrette over shrimp and serve, passing extra oil separately.
Time
1 hourYield
Serves 4Ingredients
Ingredients
Ingredients
Why This Recipe Works
Cooking shrimp on a bed of pearled couscous, leeks, and white wine allowed the pearls of pasta to absorb the shrimp’s briny liquid, delivering a delicious meal infused with sophisticated flavors. To ensure that our shrimp finished cooking at the same time as the rest of the dish, we softened the leeks and couscous in the microwave, adding garlic and a pinch of saffron to subtly perfume the dish. We then stirred in white wine and boiling water to start the dish off hot and shorten the overall cooking time. Using a very hot toaster oven and sealing the pan with foil promised shrimp that was perfectly (and efficiently) cooked as it steamed atop the couscous. A tarragon-orange vinaigrette to drizzle over the finished dish complemented the shrimp and leeks without overpowering them.
Before You Begin
For an accurate measurement of boiling water, bring a kettle of water to a boil and then measure out the desired amount. Before starting this recipe, confirm that a 13 by 9-inch baking pan fits in your toaster oven and has at least 2 inches of space between the pan and the top heating element. Depending on your toaster oven, you may need to lower the rack position.
Instructions
- Adjust toaster oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 450 degrees. Combine leeks; couscous; 2 tablespoons oil; garlic; ½ teaspoon salt; ¼ teaspoon pepper; and saffron, if using, in bowl. Cover and microwave, stirring occasionally, until leeks are softened, about 6 minutes. Stir in boiling water and wine, then transfer mixture to 13 by 9-inch baking pan.
- Sprinkle shrimp with ½ teaspoon salt and remaining ¼ teaspoon pepper. Nestle shrimp into couscous mixture and cover pan tightly with aluminum foil. Bake until couscous is tender and shrimp are opaque throughout, 30 to 35 minutes, rotating pan halfway through baking.
- Meanwhile, whisk tarragon, vinegar, mustard, orange zest and juice, remaining 3 tablespoons oil, and remaining ⅛ teaspoon salt together in bowl. Remove dish from oven. Drizzle vinaigrette over shrimp and serve, passing extra oil separately.
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