Tunisian Slata Mechouia with Grilled Shrimp

About This Recipe

Tunisian Slata Mechouia with Grilled Shrimp is a real, traditional Tunisian dish. Charred pepper and tomato relish topped with quickly grilled shrimp, a coastal variation on Tunisia's classic smoky salad.\n\nThis variation builds on the classic méchouia tradition of charring vegetables over open flame, adapted along Tunisia's coast where fresh shrimp and other seafood are commonly added to the smoky pepper and tomato base.\n\nThe result is a dish worth making on its own merits: it rewards patience with the technique and delivers real, specific flavor rooted in Tunisian home cooking, not a generic stand-in for a search term.

Ingredients

Serves 4

• 4red bell peppers
• 2tomatoes
• 6garlic cloves(unpeeled)
• 4 tbspolive oil, divided
• 1 tbsplemon juice
• 1 tspfine sea salt(to taste)
• 400 glarge shrimp(peeled, tails on)
• 1 tspground cumin
• 0.5 tspcayenne pepper
• 2 tbspchopped fresh parsley

Instructions

1. 1

   Char the vegetables

   Grill or broil the bell peppers, tomatoes and unpeeled garlic directly over flame until charred and blistered all over.

2. 2

   Steam and peel

   Steam the charred vegetables in a covered bowl for 10 minutes, then peel and remove pepper seeds.

3. 3

   Chop

   Finely chop the peeled vegetables together, keeping some texture.

4. 4

   Dress

   Toss the chopped mixture with 2 tablespoons olive oil, lemon juice and salt.

5. 5

   Grill the shrimp

   Toss the shrimp with remaining olive oil, cumin and cayenne, then grill or sear for about 2 minutes per side until just pink and cooked through.

6. 6

   Serve

   Spread the charred vegetable relish on a plate, top with the grilled shrimp, and garnish with fresh parsley.

Variations

• •

  Use grilled calamari instead of shrimp for a different seafood pairing.

• •

  Add a handful of capers to the vegetable relish for extra brininess.

• •

  Serve as a starter with warm bread for scooping.

Storage

Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Reheat gently on the stovetop or in the microwave with a splash of water or stock to loosen the texture.

Frequently Asked Questions