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1 C couscous
1 T butter
1-1 ½ C milk, slightly warmed
1 t cinnamon
¼ t ground cardamon
Toasted almonds or other nuts
Diced dried fruit
Melt the butter in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Toast the couscous and spices in the butter until fragrant. Pour in enough milk to just cover the grains and stir gently, turning down the heat if milk is boiling. Continue stirring until most of the milk is absorbed, then pour in more milk to cover, then stir in the fruit and most of the toasted nuts, reserving some for garnish. Continue cooking, adding milk as needed, until the grains are soft and the mixture is the consistency of a loose porridge. Taste for seasoning, adding more spices if needed, and serve topped with the reserved nuts.
Ignore the directions on the box!! This is the method Joyce Goldstein proposes, and turns out much better couscous. It is easily halved or doubled. I will usually also add things like finely chopped mint and/or Swiss chard, finely diced dried apricots and currants on top of the couscous before covering and then stir them in when done.
2 C Couscous
3 C water
1 t salt
2-4 T butter or olive oil
Place the couscous in a deep casserole or pie dish. Bring the water to a boil and add the salt and butter or oil. Pour over the couscous, stirring with a fork. Place any optional ingredients if using on top of the couscous to steam and cover tightly with foil. Let sit for 10 minutes. Uncover and fluff with a fork. Serve as a side dish or under a tagine.
1 28 oz. can diced tomatoes in juice
1 shallot, minced
¼ pound green beans, trimmed and cut into ½ “ pieces
¼ pound small potatoes, like Yukon Gold, cut into eighths
2 medium carrots, diced
2 medium zucchini, seeded and sliced
1 yellow squash, diced
1 can Chickpeas, rinsed
2 leaves of Swiss Chard, leaves minced and stem sliced finely
½-1 T Ras al Hanout, or a blend of cinnamon, coriander, and cardamom
Drain the juice from the tomatoes and reserve the solids. You should have ¾ to a cup of liquid.
In a tagine, stewpot or deep pan with a lid, sauté the potatoes, carrots, green beans and both squashes in a little olive oil for a few minutes, over medium high heat, until they take on a bright color. Add the reserved liquid and the spices, cover, and cook for 8-10 minutes.
In the meantime, puree the tomato solids with a hand blender. Prepare the couscous as directed, placing the chard leaves and stems on top before covering.
Remove the cover from the tagine and let the liquid reduce by almost half, around 5 minutes. Add the tomato solids; you may not need all of them. At this point you still want liquid in the dish. Stir in the chickpeas and cover, cooking for another 20-30 minutes or until the vegetables are done. Taste and adjust seasoning about half way through this point.
Serve in bowls over the couscous.
Orange Olive Salad
4 Naval oranges cut into supremes, and each section cut into 3 pieces.
1/8 cup black olives, pitted, preferably dry cured, coarsely chopped
¼ cup red onion, sliced thin and rings cut into quarters cinnamon
Place the orange pieces on a plate, top with onions and olives, then sprinkle with cinnamon.
2 cucumbers, sliced or shredded
Small piece of preserved lemon, rind only, lightly rinsed.
Za'atar
Olive Oil
Toss ingredients together in a bowl and serve.
Carrot Salad with Orange Juice and Orange Blossom Water
4 carrots, shredded
2 T fresh juice
1 t orange blossom water