037 / 75 · Cook Outside, Eat Together

Grilled Shrimp and Peach Skewers with Lime Couscous

6 small skewers; 2 supper portions with couscous · Active 30 min · Total 45 min

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Firm peach pieces bring sweetness to shrimp skewers without needing a separate fruit sauce. Red onion adds a little bite and holds its shape over the grill. Quick couscous rests in a covered bowl while the skewers cook, making a full supper without a second outdoor pan. Use peeled raw shrimp and a peach that slices cleanly; very soft fruit is better eaten fresh than threaded onto metal.

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Shrimp, peach and red onion skewers with lime couscous.

Use short, manageable pieces

Choose shrimp of similar size so they finish together. Cut each peach into broad bite-sized pieces with the skin left on to help support them. The onion is cut into small layered squares rather than thin rings. Divide everything roughly into six piles before threading so one skewer does not carry all the fruit. Leave small gaps for heat to circulate and avoid crushing delicate shrimp tightly against the peach.

Couscous can wait briefly off the burner

Ordinary quick-cooking couscous hydrates in a covered heatproof bowl. Bring drinking-quality water to a full boil using an approved appliance, then cover the bowl while the grill work finishes. Fluff before dressing with lime. Pearl couscous needs a different method and is not a direct substitute. Set the covered bowl on a stable surface away from raw shrimp, the grill edge and any narrow walking route through camp.

A clean tray for the cooked skewers

The raw shrimp marinade is not a finished dressing. Put any raw-contact bowl and utensils aside for washing and lift cooked skewers onto a clean tray. Check the thickest shrimp for their safe endpoint instead of judging only by grill marks on the fruit. Metal skewers also stay hot after the food is cooked. Warn diners, use tongs and either slide the food off before serving or place each skewer where its handle cannot be mistaken for a cool utensil.

Ingredients

  • 3/4 cup fine quick-cooking couscous (130 g)
  • 3/4 cup boiling drinking-quality water (180 ml), or packet-specified amount
  • 1/4 teaspoon fine salt (1.5 g), divided
  • 9 oz raw peeled deveined shrimp, thawed and dried (250 g)
  • 2 firm ripe peaches, stoned and cut into broad bite-sized pieces (300 g prepared weight)
  • 1 small red onion, cut into small layered squares (100 g)
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil (15 ml)
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander (1 g)
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper (0.5 g)
  • 1 tablespoon lime juice (15 ml)
  • 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro (8 g)

Set out

Permitted outdoor grill used in the open air, Six metal skewers about 10–12 inches (25–30 cm) long, Heatproof couscous bowl and cover, Approved appliance for boiling drinking-quality water, Clean raw and cooked-food trays, Tongs and instant-read thermometer

Allergens

Crustacean shellfish, Wheat in couscous. Check labels and substitutions.

Make it

  1. Put couscous and half the salt in the heatproof bowl. Pour over fully boiling water, cover and stand for the package time, usually 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork. Keep covered for the short grilling stage.
  2. Prepare the permitted outdoor grill for medium-high heat according to its instructions, in a suitable open-air position. Toss raw shrimp, peach and onion with oil, coriander, pepper and remaining salt. Divide evenly among six metal skewers, leaving small gaps.
  3. Grill for 6–9 minutes, turning carefully, until peach has light marks, onion softens and the thickest shrimp reach 145°F/63°C with opaque flesh. Use clean tongs and a clean tray for cooked skewers. Cook longer if needed rather than relying on time alone.
  4. Fold lime juice and cilantro through the couscous. Divide between two plates and add three small skewers to each, warning that the metal is hot or sliding the food off before serving.

Use the stop, not the journey, as preparation time

Keep seafood sealed and chilled while traveling. Thread the skewers only after the vehicle is parked and the clean preparation space and permitted grill are ready.

A useful detail

Use outdoor cooking equipment only in the open air and follow local fire rules. Metal skewers avoid a wooden-skewer soaking stage but require care with hot handles.

Another way

  • Use firm nectarines instead of peaches at the same prepared weight.
  • Replace cilantro with chopped parsley at the same loose volume.

Keep it well

Keep raw shrimp at 40°F/4°C or below until grilling. Refrigerate cooked food promptly in shallow portions within 2 hours, or 1 hour above 90°F/32°C, and use within 2 days. Keep at 40°F/4°C or below and reheat leftovers to 165°F/74°C. Eat couscous promptly or chill it safely; do not leave the covered bowl warm for the afternoon.