Skip to main content
LoginSign Up
North African Spicy Tomato Shrimp

North African Spicy Tomato Shrimp

By Julia RackowOctober 15, 2019

  • Makes
    4 servings
  • Cook Time
    35 minutes
  • Active time plus cooling
    15 minutes active
  • Rating

On the Kerkennah Islands off the coast of Tunisia, seafood often is paired with sauce kerkennaise, a spiced tomato sauce with subtle chili heat. The caraway seeds can be ground in a spice grinder, with a mortar and pestle, or even just chopped with a chef's knife. If you prefer a milder sauce, use just half of a seeded Fresno chili; if you like it hot and fiery, leave in all of the seeds. The sauce tastes bests after the flavors have had a chance to mingle for about 20 minutes.

Tip

Don't forget to pat the shrimp dry with paper towels. Removing as much moisture as possible helps ensure deep browning and reduces splatter.

Ingredients
  • 2

    plum tomatoes, cored and cut into large chunks

  • 1

    Fresno chili, stemmed, quartered and seeded

  • 1

    medium garlic clove, smashed and peeled

  • ½

    teaspoon ground coriander

  • ½

    teaspoon caraway seed, coarsely ground

  • 2

    tablespoons white wine vinegar

  • 3

    scallions, white parts cut into 1-inch pieces, greens thinly sliced, reserved separately

  • ¼

    cup lightly packed fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped

  • ⅓

    cup pitted green olives, chopped

  • 1

    tablespoon tomato paste

  • Kosher salt and ground black pepper

  • 4

    tablespoons grapeseed or other neutral oil, divided

  • 1½

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

Step 1

In a food processor, combine the tomatoes, chili, garlic, coriander, caraway, vinegar and the scallion whites. Pulse until finely chopped, about 10 pulses.

Transfer to a small bowl and stir in the scallion greens, parsley, olives, tomato paste and 2 tablespoons of oil. Set aside at room temperature for about 20 minutes. Taste and season with salt and pepper.

Step 2

Season the shrimp with ½ teaspoon each salt and pepper. In a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high, heat 1 tablespoon of the remaining oil until barely smoking. Add half of the shrimp in an even layer and cook without stirring until deep golden brown, about 2 minutes.

Stir, remove the pan from the heat and continue stirring, allowing the pan's residual heat to finish the cooking, until the shrimp are opaque on both sides, another 20 to 30 seconds. Transfer to a serving dish.

Repeat with the remaining 1 tablespoon oil and the remaining the shrimp. Spoon the sauce over the shrimp or serve the sauce on the side.

Featured in