Couscous time

It's couscous season! Zucchinis are hopping, and the weather is fine. Every summer-into-fall, I forget how easy a good couscous is. Take a package of chicken thighs and three lamb shanks (ask the butcher to saw the shanks into three or four pieces each). Put them in a big pot, with lots of water to cover. Bring to a simmer, and skim. Add in a diced onion, four or five carrots (peeled and cut into big chunks) and a few turnips (also peeled and cut in chunks), plus a healthy spoonful of harissa (I buy it in tubes), a big handful of cilantro, a branch of thyme, a pinch of saffron, half a teaspoon of cinnamon, salt. Let it simmer an hour or so. Halfway through, add two cans (drained and rinsed) garbanzo beans. (Yes, it's better if you use dried, but hey -- this is quick couscous!) Twenty minutes before you want to eat, add lots of zucchini and other summer squash (cut into fat slices), a few chopped tomatoes (peeled, seeded -- or you can even drain a small can and add it), a couple of sliced roasted peppers (I keep a jar of 'em in the fridge), and simmer (covered now) till the zucchini are tender. Adjust the seasoning, and you're ready to roll.

Oh, I forgot the couscous? While the stew was simmering, I thought about making the grains the real way: moistening, resting, steaming, separating, then repeating the whole thing once or even twice. Or I could spend a half-hour on the exercise bike and do the "instant" method. The bike won. It was still pretty fab -- and the whole thing was so easy, I'm sure I'll do it again in a couple of weeks. To serve, put the couscous grains on a platter, strain out the meat and vegetables and arrange them on top. Moisten it all with a little broth, and serve more broth in a sauceboat. Pass around the extra broth and harissa, and you've got yourself a party.

-- Leslie Brenner

Photos by Leslie Brenner

Comments

[Farid]

You must have made this just for me!

You know you could have spent half an hour on the exercise bike while the couscous was steaming. It's not as if you have to stand there watching it. ;-)

Freshly hand rolled couscous (I know, I know most people won't do this, even I don't regularly) actually only takes minutes to make and needs to be steamed just once for about 15-20 minutes. Much faster than steaming dried couscous 2-3 times.

In France boil in the bag couscous is available and I think this method produces superior results to pouring hot water on top.

Nonetheless, I am thrilled to see more people preparing couscous at home anyway they like it.

The stew looks delicious by the way. On occasion I use canned chick peas as well, sometimes I make a big batch and freeze in portions. Oh, one more thing your stew reminds me of Setif style couscous, mixing chicken and lamb. The love of turnips is a very Berber thing.

And yes, I've used the harissa in a tube.