Couscous Diet: The Best Couscous Recipes Online

6 cups cooked couscous (3 cups before cooking, then prepare per package instructions)
1 large ripe red tomato, chopped
1 cucumber, cut into cubes
1/2 green bell pepper, chopped
1/2 cup red onion, diced
Juice of 2 lemons
1/4 cup olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients in a big bowl and mix well. That’s it. Keep cool before serving.

I like to call this JuiceCous and you’ll see why.

Take one box of plain CousCous (I like the Near East brand) and prepare it according to the directions, but instead of water or chicken stock, use half juice (I love to use orange juice, carrot juice, prune juice, or even a combination of two of them!!) and half water to cook the CousCous.

Simple!

via mycharmingkids

via GreenLiteBites

This is the recipe that won Ellie Mathews $1 million in the 1998 Pillsbury Bake-Off. She used Old El Paso Thick & Chunky Salsa.

• 3 cups cooked couscous or rice

• 1 tablespoon olive oil

• ¼ cup coarsely chopped almonds

• 2 garlic cloves, minced

• 8 chicken thighs, skin removed

• 1 cup chunky salsa

• ¼ cup water

• 2 tablespoons dried currants

• 1 tablespoon honey

• ¾ teaspoon cumin

• ½ teaspoon cinnamon

Prepare couscous or rice according to package directions. While it’s cooking, heat oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add almonds; cook 1 to 2 minutes or until golden brown. Remove almonds with slotted spoon; set aside.

Add garlic to skillet; cook and stir 30 seconds. Add chicken; cook 4 to 5 minutes or until browned, turning once. In medium bowl, combine salsa, water, currants, honey, cumin and cinnamon. Add to chicken; mix well. Reduce heat to medium; cover and cook 20 minutes or until chicken is tender and juices run clear. Stir in almonds. Serve over couscous. Makes 4 servings.

2 large zucchini
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 cups couscous
1/2 cup dried sour cherries
1/2 lemon, juice and zest
2 tablespoons olive oil, extra
1/4 cup flat leaf parsley, leaves only, roughly chopped

1. Thinly slice the zucchini length ways into strips with a sharp knife or vegetable peeler. Cook on a griddle pan or BBQ for 2 minutes each side or until tender then transfer to a plate and drizzle with good quality olive oil. Season with salt and pepper and keep warm.

2. Place the couscous in a medium heatproof bowl and add one cup of boiling water, a handful of dried sour cherries, the juice and zest of half a lemon and stir.

3. Cover with a clean tea towel and let it sit on the bench, covered, for 10 minutes until all the liquid has been soaked up. Fluff with a fork and add a tablespoon of olive oil, a handful of chopped flat leaf parsley, season with salt and pepper and stir to combine. Serve with the zucchini strips.

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 large onion, halved and sliced

2 leeks, white and light green parts only, sliced (optional)

6 garlic cloves, minced

2 teaspoons cumin seeds, ground

Salt, preferably kosher salt, and freshly ground pepper to taste

1 28-ounce can chopped tomatoes, with liquid

2 tablespoons tomato paste dissolved in 1/2 cup water

1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon cayenne, to taste

2 tablespoons harissa, plus additional for serving

3 quarts fish stock, chicken stock, or water

3/4 pound carrots, cut in thick slices (fat ends first cut in half lengthwise)

1/2 pound turnips, peeled and cut in wedges or large dice

1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed

1 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley or cilantro, or 1/2 cup of each

2 2/3 cups couscous, preferably whole wheat couscous

2 pounds fish fillets (such as snapper, halibut, grouper, cod or monkfish) cut into 2-inch pieces

1. Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a large, heavy casserole or Dutch oven and add the onion and leeks. Cook, stirring, until tender, about 5 minutes, and stir in the garlic, ground cumin seeds, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Cook together, stirring, until fragrant, about a minute, and add the tomatoes. Cook, stirring often, until the tomatoes have cooked down and the mixture smells very fragrant, about 10 minutes. Stir in the dissolved tomato paste, the cayenne, harissa, the broth or water, carrots, turnips, chick peas, and salt to taste, and bring to a simmer. Cover and simmer 30 minutes. Taste and adjust seasonings. Strain off 1 cup of the stock.

2. Reconstitute and steam the couscous.

3. Season the fish with salt and pepper and add along with the parsley and/or cilantro to the simmering stew. Simmer very gently for 5 to 10 minutes, until the fish is opaque and flakes when poked with a fork. Taste and adjust seasonings.

4. Transfer the couscous to a wide serving bowl, such as a pasta bowl, or directly to wide soup plates. Top the couscous with fish, vegetables, and plenty of broth, and serve, passing harissa at the table.

Yield: Serves six to eight

Advance preparation: The stew can be made through step 1 a day ahead of time. Bring back to a simmer, and proceed with the recipe. The couscous can be reconstituted up to a day ahead, then steamed before serving.

One of the best alternatives for traditional pasta, couscous is a special type of wheat that is commonly used in dishes that originated from North Africa. Many people agree that this wheat goes well with delicious fish viands, as well as dishes that have hot and spicy flavors. In addition, everyone can eat couscous for breakfast by adding milk and other fruits to the wheat. However, to those who are health conscious they can always add delicious and nutritious salad dressing to this wheat to improve its taste. For individuals who have interest in exploring other uses of the wheat, it is best that they try these two sumptuous couscous recipes, namely Plain Couscous and Couscous With Olive Oil.

Learning the Basics in Cooking Plain Couscous

The easiest way of cooking couscous is by preparing and serving it to people very plainly. When cooking plain couscous, it is important to prepare a tasty and savory sauce that will be mixed with the wheat, since the sauce will be the only source of flavor in this dish. Combine couscous and sauce in a pan and boil for several minutes. The heat must be turned-off when the mixture reaches boiling point to avoid couscous from becoming over cooked. Before letting the mixture stand for another five minutes, it is important to cover the pan to prevent the wheat from being contaminated. Serve the dish immediately.

Knowing the Steps for Cooking Couscous with Olive Oil

Another simple way of cooking couscous is by preparing it with olive oil. Pour at most two tablespoons of olive oil in a pan. Heat the pan in a medium low fire for several minutes. As an alternative for olive oil, it is best to use vegetable oil. Put couscous in the pan and sprinkle with salt to improve its taste. Constantly stir the wheat. When the color of couscous appears to be golden brown, pour boiling water. Before turning the fire off, provide a cover for the pan. Let the dish stand in the pan for at most ten minutes. Transfer the dish in another bowl and serve immediately.

Important Tips in Cooking Couscous

For individuals who have interest in cooking couscous, there are some important tips that they should consider. Instead of boiling the wheat in plain water, they can use juices, chicken stock, and beef stock as alternatives. Additionally, to those who like to prepare couscous with olive oil, they can always add pine nuts to enhance the flavor of the dish. Furthermore, the use of some herbs such as rosemary, basil, oregano, marjoram, and thyme is encouraged to improve the taste of the wheat. Finally, when it comes to preserving excess couscous, they should always place it inside a container and put in a refrigerator to retain its freshness.

Cooking couscous is very easy and simple. In addition, it is not time consuming, which means that everyone can prepare couscous dishes. By following the procedures in cooking these two recipes, people can add new flavor and taste to the traditional way of preparing this special kind of wheat.

About the Author

Will Spencer is writing cooking and food articles for both How to Cook Couscous Info and Boiling Chicken Info web sites. Visit Learning the Two Simple Methods of Cooking Couscous.

Sweet and spicy flavours mingle in this delicious twist on a classic family favourite.
Cooking Time

30 minutes
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Ingredients (serves 4)

* 2 tbs Moroccan spice mix
* 800g chicken breast fillets
* 2 tbs extra light olive oil
* 1 leek, pale section only, thinly sliced
* 2 tsp finely grated ginger
* 2 garlic cloves, crushed
* 1 tsp ground cumin
* 1 x 405g can apricot nectar
* 260g (1 1/2 cups) couscous
* 375ml (1 1/2 cups) boiling water
* Fresh coriander leaves, to serve

Method

1. Rub the spice mix evenly over the chicken. Heat half the oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook for 5 minutes each side or until cooked through. Transfer to a plate and cover with foil to keep warm.
2. Meanwhile, heat the remaining oil in a frying pan over low heat. Add the leek, ginger and garlic, and cook, stirring occasionally, for 3 minutes or until the leek softens. Add the cumin and cook for 30 seconds or until aromatic. Stir in the apricot nectar. Simmer for 10 minutes or until the sauce thickens slightly. Place the couscous in a heatproof bowl. Pour over the boiling water. Cover and set aside for 5 minutes. Use a fork to separate the grains.
3. Thickly slice the chicken diagonally across the grain. Divide the couscous among serving plates. Top with the chicken. Spoon over the apricot sauce. Sprinkle with coriander to serve.

Notes & tips
Variations:
* Tomato & chicken curry with basmati rice: Replace the Moroccan spice mix with curry powder. Replace the apricot nectar with tomato juice. Serve with steamed basmati rice instead of couscous.
* Apricot lamb with spinach & mash: Replace the chicken with lamb eye of loin (backstraps). Add 100g baby spinach leaves with the lamb in step 3. Serve with mashed potato instead of couscous.
* Taste.com.au is the place for food & recipes! Check out our latest collections including starters recipes, main recipes, drink recipes, Spanish recipes and autumn recipes.

Source

Good Taste - June 2008, Page 33
Recipe by Alison Adams

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

1 large onion, chopped

2 leeks, white and light green parts only, cut in thick slices and cleaned

4 large garlic cloves, minced

Salt, preferably kosher salt, to taste

2 teaspoons cumin seeds, lightly toasted and ground

1 teaspoon coriander seeds, lightly toasted and ground

1 teaspoon caraway seeds, lightly toasted and ground

1/2 teaspoon cayenne (more to taste)

2 cups white beans, soaked in 2 quarts water for 6 hours or overnight

A bouquet garni consisting of 8 sprigs each parsley and cilantro

2 tablespoons tomato paste

1 to 2 tablespoons harissa (more to taste), plus additional for serving

1 1/2 pounds winter squash, peeled, seeded and cut in large dice (about 4 cups diced)

1 pound turnips, cut in wedges or carrots, cut in thick slices (or 1/2 pound each)

1 pound greens, stemmed and washed thoroughly, blanched in salted boiling water and coarsely chopped

1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley or cilantro, or a combination

2 2/3 cups couscous, preferably whole wheat couscous

1. Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy soup pot or Dutch oven over medium heat, and add the onion and leeks. Cook, stirring, until tender, about five minutes, then stir in the garlic, 1/2 teaspoon salt and the spices. Stir together for about one minute. Add the beans and soaking water, an additional one quart water and the bouquet garni. Bring to a gentle boil, add salt to taste, reduce the heat, cover and simmer one hour. Add the harissa, tomato paste, squash, turnips and/or carrots. Bring back to a simmer for 45 minutes, or until the squash is beginning to fall apart and the beans are tender. Stir in the blanched greens, chopped parsley and/or cilantro. Simmer another 10 minutes. Taste and adjust salt. The stew should be spicy and flavorful.

2. Reconstitute and steam the couscous. Serve the couscous in wide bowls, or mound onto plates. Top with the stew and a generous amount of broth. Pass more harissa at the table.

Yield: Serves eight generously

Advance preparation: The stew can be made a day ahead and reheated. Leftovers will keep for three or four days in the refrigerator. The couscous can be reconstituted up to a day ahead, then steamed before serving.

Tunisian spice mix: Many of the recipes this week will use the spice combination in this recipe. If you want to get ahead and have prepared Tunisian spices on hand, lightly toast then grind two parts cumin seeds, one part caraway seeds and one part coriander seeds. Use 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon of the mix in the recipes.

1 Tbl. butter
½ cup carrot, shredded
2 Tbl. green onion, finely sliced
1 cup fresh mushrooms, sliced
1 ¼ uncooked wheat couscous, small grain
2 cups chicken broth
1/3 cup pine nuts, toasted
1 Tbl. fresh basil, minced
salt and pepper to taste

Melt the butter in a medium sized sauce pan over medium heat.  Add the carrots, green onions and mushrooms to the pan. Sauté for 1 -2 minutes until the mushrooms have softened slightly.  Add the chicken broth and bring the mixture to a boil.  Stir in the dry couscous, cover with a lid and remove from heat.  Let the sauce pan sit completely covered for 5 - 7 minutes.  DO NOT PEEK.  Sprinkle the pine nuts and basil over the top and toss with a fork.  Serves about 4 - 6 people as a side.