Oh the joys of having trouble with managing how MUCH basil there is. Last weekend, 1 basil plant was in dire need of a substantial trimming. I brought armloads of basil in the house. Last winter I learned that I could freeze it in cubes with olive oil. This time, I just didn’t want it to wilt but I want to use it now. I pulsed it in the food processor for a quick chop without turning it into paste, and put it in a small jar in the fridge covered in olive oil. Then I watched. Sure enough, it has maintained the brilliant green color! Hooray.

We both love caprese salad, but I was looking for something a little more to qualify as dinner. I decided to add some couscous and shrimp and really work with layering the basil in. It was SO good. Enough for both for dinner – with a little extra, plus enough for 2 perfect lunch sizes the next day.

Shrimp Caprese Salad CousCous or Summer in a Bowl

(Gotta love recipes that come together in less than 30 minutes)

1. Cook 1.5 cups israeli couscous or however much you want to make, it’s cooked in a 2:1 ratio liquid to solid. I used some chicken broth for the liquid. Drain any excess liquid and put this on in fridge to start cooling down. Note: I will make this with quinoa next time to try that, but could not source any locally. Great news, both Whole Foods and Sunflower Markets are opening here within weeks and quinoa shortage will be a moot point. If you’re not familiar with israeli couscous, it is beautiful pearls, not the tiny grain stuff.

2. Prep your shrimp (1 lb) or be utterly lazy and buy it prepped – I did. I bought the 40-50 count shrimp because mixed into something like this, I see no point in big expensive prawns.

3. Saute the shrimp in a mixture of 1 TBSP of butter and 2 TBSP olive oil. I used the basil and olive oil mixture listed above. Plus 2-3 cloves of garlic that I browned before putting the shrimp in. Take shrimp out, save pan drippings. Put shrimp in fridge to start cooling off.

4. Cut 1 pint of grape tomatoes in half, and set in cheesecloth with some salt sprinkled on to let them drain out some. Tie the cheesecloth to your sink faucet for mess reduction. Don’t stress about this, a papertowel will also work. Whatever. Have fun.

5. Dice 1 ball of mozzarella and put in a bowl in the fridge. I spooned about a tablespoon of the basil olive oil mixture over it and mixed it around as well so it could pick up some of the flavor. Mozzarella is also quite easy to make if you want to go that route, but it was a lazier night, I bought the cheese. I’d add a little more cheese the next time. If you bought a brick of mozzarella, cut that out — behold the cheese. Respect the cheese.

6. In your blender or food processor or bowl with whisk: 1/4 cup red wine vinegar, 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil, garlic to your taste – ours is 2-3 cloves, 2 heaping TBSP of chopped basil – again, I used that basil that’s been sitting in olive oil, and the drippings from the shrimp pan. Some salt – be careful because you also salted the tomatoes, and may have used something salty in cooking the cous cous. Some pepper, or at our house, a lot of fresh cracked pepper. Blendy blendy blendy.

7. In a big bowl, add your cous cous, grape tomatoes, cooked shrimp, and the mozzarella cheese. Pour your dressing over this and toss it around so everything is coated.

Tada. Garnish with some fresh basil.

Nice, cool, summer in a bowl. Enjoy.