Moroccan Spice & Garden Vegetable Couscous

Recipe for Couscous with Onions & Raisins or Apricot Tomato Cucumber

© Heather Zorzini

Sep 7, 2009

Couscous is a staple food in Morocco, Algeria and Tangiers where it is meticulously prepared by hand, then steamed several times. Fortunately, a quick cooking couscous is available almost everywhere. Simply add couscous to boiling stock, cover and let sit 5 minutes. Then add vegetables and spices as desired.

Recipe for Moroccan Couscous with Onions, Raisins and Exotic Spices

Couscous in Morocco is often made with onions, cinnamon, sugar and fruit. Slow stovetop cooking enhances the rich, mellow flavour. Serve this recipe with Moroccan spiced BBQ chicken for a winter treat.

Ingredients:

• 1 large onion, peeled and cut into thin slices
• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 Tbsp sugar
• 1/3 cup raisins
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 3 whole cloves
• ¼ tsp ground ginger
• ¼ tsp freshly grated nutmeg
• ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 1 ¼ cup chicken stock
• 1 tsp butter
• 1 cup couscous
• ¼ cup slivered almonds, toasted

Directions:

1. In a large saucepan, heat oil over medium heat.
2. Add onion and stir briefly. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover pan and cook for 15 minutes.
3. Stir in sugar, raisins, cinnamon stick, cloves, ginger, nutmeg and pepper.
4. Reduce heat to low, cover pan and cook for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until onion is almost caramelized, but still moist. Keep onion mixture warm.
5. To a medium saucepan, add chicken stock, butter and bring to the boil. Or cook couscous according to package directions if different.
6. When stock is boiling, add couscous, stir briefly till incorporated into stock, cover and remove from heat. Let sit 5 minutes.
7. Remove cinnamon stick and cloves from onion mixture. Stir into couscous and top with toasted slivered almonds.Season with salt and freshly ground pepper to taste. Serve warm. Makes 4 portions.

Easy Summer Garden Vegetable Couscous Recipe

This light and colourful dish uses garden fresh tomatoes, cucumbers and herbs. The addition of preserved lemon gives this couscous a characteristic Moroccan taste.

Preserved lemons are ready to use after a month but they will continue to mature for up to six months and develop a sweet, almost honeyed taste and a softer texture. The main ingredient of this easy-to prepare condiment is patience.

Ingredients:

• 1 ¼ cup chicken broth
• 1 cup couscous
• 8 dried apricots, diced
• ½ cup chopped cucumber
• ½ cup chopped tomatoes
• ½ preserved lemon
• 1 tsp juice from preserved lemon or fresh lemon juice
• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 2 Tbsp chopped fresh chives
• 2 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley or coriander (cilantro)
• Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
• ¼ cup toasted slivered almonds

Directions:

1. To a medium saucepan, add chicken stock, butter and bring to the boil. Or follow directions on couscous package if different.
2. When stock is boiling, add couscous and diced apricots, stir briefly till incorporated into stock, cover and remove from heat. Let sit 5 minutes.
3. Fluff couscous with fork and let cool in refrigerator for 30 minutes.
4. Stir in cucumber, tomatoes, preserved lemon and juice, olive oil, chives and parsley or coriander. Top with toasted slivered almonds.Season to taste with salt and freshly ground pepper. Serve cold or at room temperature. Makes 4 portions.

Resource Credits

This article was compiled with information from Tastes of North Africa by Sarah Woodward and from visits to Morocco.

Apricot & Garden Vegetable Couscous

Moroccan Preserved Lemon

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