Moroccan Tagine of Shrimp in Tomato Sauce

Ingredients

• 2 pounds 3 ounces/1 kilogram shrimp (large)
• 2 pounds 3 ounces/1 kilogram tomatoes (fresh and ripe)
• 1/3 cup olive oil
• 1 medium onion (finely chopped)
• 7 cloves of garlic (pressed)
• 1 1/2 teaspoon paprika
• 1 1/2 teaspoon cumin
• 1 1/2 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
• 1/2 teaspoon ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 2 tablespoons fresh parsley (finely chopped)
• 2 tablespoons fresh coriander (finely chopped)
• Optional: 1 bay leaf
• Garnish: parsley (chopped fresh)
• Garnish: black pepper (coarsely ground)
• Garnish: lemon (slices or wedges)

Directions

1. Gather the ingredients.

Wash the shrimp under running water and drain.

1. Remove the head, legs, and shells (and tails if desired)

Devein the shrimp if necessary.

1. Wash the shrimp again and set aside in a colander to drain.

Gather the ingredients.

1. Peel, seed, and chop the tomatoes. (Or, if the tomatoes are very soft, you can cut them in in half, seed them and grate them.) ​

Set the tomatoes aside.

1. Place the base of a large tagine over medium-low heat. (The use of a diffuser between the heat source and tagine is recommended.)
2. Add the olive oil and onions and saute gently for several minutes, or until the onions begin to soften.
3. Add the garlic and saute just for a minute or two, until very fragrant.
4. Remember to maintain the low heat, and avoid burning the garlic.
5. Add the tomatoes, spices and herbs and stir to combine.
6. Cover, and allow the tagine to slowly reach a simmer.

Do not increase the heat to speed things up.

1. Continue simmering the tomatoes, stirring occasionally, for about 30 minutes, or until the tomatoes can be mashed with the back of a spoon and a thick sauce forms.
2. Add the cleaned shrimp to the tomato sauce, along with a few tablespoons of water if you feel the sauce should be thinned, and cover.
3. Cook the shrimp for several minutes then stir gently to turn the shrimp over.
4. Continue cooking for several minutes more, until the shrimp are just done.
5. Remove the tagine from the heat.

To Serve

1. When ready to serve, discard the bay leaf and garnish the tagine with chopped parsley, a few turns of the pepper mill and fresh lemon slices. Wedges of lemon may be offered on the side.
2. It is customary to serve the shrimp directly from the tagine, with each person eating from his side of the dish. In lieu of a fork, Moroccan bread is used to scoop up the shrimp and sauce.
3. Enjoy!

Nutrition

(per serving) 380 Calories 15g Fat 23g Carbs 43g Protein Nutrition Facts Servings: 4 to 6 Amount per serving Calories 380 % Daily Value* Total Fat 15g 19% Saturated Fat 2g 11% Cholesterol 333mg 111% Sodium 1481mg 64% Total Carbohydrate 23g 8% Dietary Fiber 4g 16% Protein 43g Calcium 228mg 18% *The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.