Israeli Couscous with Shrimp and Summer Vegetables

Tomatoes, zucchini and corn. Tomatoes, Zucchini and Corn. TOMATOES, ZUCCHINI, and CORN! Yes, it's that time of year and whether you are a gardener, a CSA recipient or just an average shopper who loves seasonal goods, you are swimming in them. That's fine, in a few weeks you'll start to miss them and by mid-winter you'll be dreaming of them.  That's because there is nothing like the taste of these veggies (and fruit) in the heart of summer.  Today's recipe makes the most of these fresh flavors.

One of my favorite parts of this dish is the use of fresh corn. It's a method used in another recipe here on my blog, Pappardelle with Corn and Tomatoes.  Parboil the corn, slice it off the cob and mix it into the recipe.  It also utilizes a bit of the water used to boil the corn, so don't dump it out.  I love how the sweetness of the fresh corn permeates the entire dish.

You could make this dish with regular couscous or even any type of pasta you like, but if you haven't gotten into Israeli couscous, you've got to give it a try.  The small pearl sized balls of pasta are a favorite in our household.

Israeli Couscous with Shrimp and Summer Vegetables
Serves 3

3 ears corn
olive oil
1 lb extra large shrimp, peeled and deveined
1/3 cup onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, pressed
1/4 cup white wine
1/4 cup reserved corn water
1 1/2 cups vegetable broth
1 large zucchini, quartered and sliced
1 1/2 cup Israeli couscous
3 Roma tomatoes (or 2 regular), chopped
Kosher salt and pepper

Boil corn in a large of water for 5 minutes. Remove corn and set aside to cool.  Once cool, cut the corn off the cob. Reserve some of the water for use in the recipe.

In a large saute pan, in 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat, cook onion until slightly soft. Add 2 cloves pressed garlic and saute 1 minute longer.  Add the wine, broth and 1/4 cup reserved corn water. Bring to a boil and add the zucchini and corn, make sure to bring the liquid back to boil and then add the couscous.  Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes, cover and simmer another 3 minutes.

Once the couscous is simmering, in a separate pan heat 1 teaspoon olive oil over medium high.  Add the shrimp and 1 pressed clove of garlic then quickly saute until the shrimp begins to curl. Empty the contents of the shrimp saute pan into the couscous mixture, add salt and pepper to taste.  Stir to mix, add a few teaspoons of reserved corn water if needed.  Cover simmer a minute or so longer, remove from heat and let set for 5 minutes before serving.