Moroccan Spiced Shrimp Skewers

HomeDried Fruits & NutsMoroccan Spiced Shrimp Skewers

Presented by

Moroccan Spiced Shrimp Skewers

This simple dish is packed with flavor thanks to all the Moroccan-inspired spices! Smoked paprika, cumin, and a hint of cinnamon spice up the shrimp skewers, which are so quick to cook. The quinoa salad still takes on traditional flavors thanks to the combination of spices, dried fruit, parsley, and lemon, but we added a few fun twists! Traditional Moroccan cuisine uses lots of couscous and dates, but we swapped those ingredients out for gluten-free and high-protein quinoa and fiber-rich California prunes. This dish is filling, flavorful, and unbelievably easy – perfect for any weeknight!

INGREDIENTS:

  • Olive oil (in a spray container)
  • Salt
  • Black pepper
  • 1 shallot
  • 1½ oz Matchstick carrots
  • 1 oz Red quinoa
  • 2 oz White quinoa
  • 2 tsp Smoked paprika
  • 2 tsp Ground cumin
  • ½t sp Ground cinnamon
  • 12 Jumbo shrimp
  • 1 Lemon
  • 2 oz California prunes
  • ¼ can Chickpeas
  • ½ oz Fresh parsley
  • ¼ oz Fresh basil
  • ¼ oz Fresh cilantro
  • 1 Garlic clove

directions:

STEP ONE
Preheat the broiler to high.
Line a rimmed sheet pan with foil.
Finely chop the shallot and chop the carrots into ⅛-inch pieces.
In a small sauce pot with lid, heat 1 teaspoons of olive oil for 1 minute. Add the shallot and carrots and cook for 2 minutes. Add the quinoa and stir for 1 minute. Add 1 cup of water and ONLY 1 teaspoon of paprika, 1 teaspoon of cumin, and ¼ teaspoon cinnamon. Stir and bring to a boil over high heat, reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 20 minutes.
Pat dry shrimp with paper towels.
Cut the lemon in half. Add the juice of HALF a lemon to a medium bowl, discarding any seeds.
Rinse and pat dry produce prior to use.

STEP TWO
Recommendations for salt and pepper are optional. Please season to taste.
Add remaining paprika, cumin, and cinnamon, and a pinch each of salt and pepper to the medium bowl. Stir to make a loose paste. Add the shrimp; toss well.
Cut the prunes into¼-inch pieces; set aside.
Drain ONLY half the can of chickpeas and pat dry with paper towels. Store remaining chickpeas in a separate container for personal use.
Remove and discard stems from parsley. Finely chop the leaves and place HALF of the leaves in a small bowl. Set aside remaining leaves for step 3.
Remove and discard the stems from the basil and cilantro. Finely chop the herbs and add to the bowl. Add garlic, juice of remaining lemon, discarding any seeds, and 1 teaspoons of olive oil and a pinch each salt and pepper. Mix well to combine.

STEP THREE
In a small bowl, combine the drained chickpeas, 1 teaspoon olive oil and a pinch each of salt and pepper. Place chickpeas onto the prepared baking sheet and broil for 4 to 5 minutes until lightly browned. Set aside for plating.
Thread 3 shrimp each per skewer and wrap the ends of each skewer with a small piece of foil. Place on the same sheet pan and broil for 4 to 5 minutes. Stir prunes and remaining parsley into the quinoa.
(FDA recommends cooking shrimp to a minimum 145°F)

STEP FOUR
Divide the quinoa between two plates.
Top with the toasted chickpeas and lay the shrimp skewers on top.
Serve with the herb sauce on the side.
Enjoy!

What makes California Prunes different? Everything. It’s the legendary Petit d’Agen plum that was brought to California from France during the Gold Rush and grafted onto wild American plum stock. It’s the long growing seasons in California’s lush valleys with rich soil warmed by a steady sun and cool evening temperatures. It’s the hundreds of growers who hand-tend each tree to cultivate the perfect fruit. It’s the most rigorous agricultural standards of any place on earth. It’s the practice of drying prunes in climate-controlled tunnels, which California growers have honed into a precise art, balancing temperature, humidity and time. It is all these things combined that make a prune a California Prune. Over the past decade, researchers have made considerable progress in discovering and understanding the positive effects the consumption of California Prunes can have on our health, including bone health and gut health. The power of California Prunes includes important vitamins, minerals, and fiber. Together, these nutrients form a web of vital functions that support overall health and the immune system.