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Moroccan Harissa-Garlic Shrimp (Crevettes Pil Pil)

Moroccan Harissa-Garlic Shrimp (Crevettes Pil Pil)

By Diane UngerJanuary 25, 2022

  • Makes
    4 to 6 servings
  • Cook Time
    30 minutes
  • Rating

This stewy, spicy Moroccan shrimp dish is deeply rich and flavorful but astoundingly simple to make. The recipe is based on the version of crevettes pil pil that home cook Houda Mehdi demonstrated for us in her kitchen in Fes, Morocco. All of the elements—the warm spices, sweet-tart tomatoes, citrusy lemon and herbal cilantro—together are a delicious match for briny-sweet shrimp. The amount of olive oil—½ cup—may seem excessive, but that much is needed to gently oil-poach the shrimp, leaving them plump, tender and full of flavor. We find that salting the shrimp and letting them stand for about 15 minutes allows the seasoning to penetrate, so don’t bypass this step. Serve with warm flatbread for soaking up the sauce.

Tip

Don’t leave the heat on medium after adding the tomatoes and shrimp. Be sure to turn the burner down to low so the shrimp cook gently, and once they begin to turn opaque, remove the skillet from the heat. The shrimp will finish cooking with the residual heat trapped in the covered pan.

Ingredients
  • 1 ½

    pounds extra-large shrimp (21/25 per pound), peeled (tails removed), deveined and patted dry

  • Kosher salt and ground black pepper

  • ½

    cup extra-virgin olive oil

  • 6

    medium garlic cloves, finely grated

  • 2

    tablespoons harissa paste

  • 1

    tablespoon sweet paprika

  • 1

    tablespoon ground cumin

  • 2

    teaspoons ground coriander

  • ½

    teaspoon ground turmeric

  • 8

    ounces (2 medium) ripe tomatoes, cored, seeded and chopped

  • 3

    tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

  • 2

    tablespoons lemon juice, plus 1 lemon, thinly sliced

Step 1

In a medium bowl, toss the shrimp with ½ teaspoon salt. Let stand at room temperature for about 15 minutes.

Step 2

In a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium, heat the oil until shimmering. Add the garlic and harissa; cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the paprika, cumin, coriander and turmeric, then cook, stirring, until the mixture is darkened and fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes.

Step 3

Reduce to low and stir in the tomatoes and shrimp. Distribute the mixture in an even layer, cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until the shrimp begin to curl and turn opaque on the exteriors, 2 to 4 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and let stand, covered, until the shrimp are opaque throughout, about 2 minutes.

Step 4

Stir in the cilantro and lemon juice, then taste and season with salt and pepper. Line a wide, shallow serving bowl with the lemon slices and pour in the shrimp and sauce.

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