Sweet Currant Couscous

Sweet Couscous with Currants
Inspired by my own traditional recipe in Every Kitchen Tells Its Stories

Printable Recipe

Prep time: 5 minutes
Total Cooking time: 15 minutes

Serves 2-3

Ingredients:
1¼ cups whole wheat couscous
2 cups orange juice (actually this time I used a tropical blend of orange, mango & peach juice)
4 green onions, chopped (save green part for garnish)
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
¼ cup dried currants or cherries
Zest of one small orange
¼ cup fresh basil leaves, thinly sliced across (chiffonade)
toasted sliced almonds - Optional - garnish

Directions:
1. In a medium sized saucepan, bring the juice to a boil.

2. Place the couscous, green onions, olive oil and dried fruit in a serving bowl. Add the hot liquid, stir, and cover. Let it stand for 5 minutes. Add the zest and basil leaves and fluff with a fork again, recover and let stand for another 5-10 minutes or until all the liquid has been absorbed and the couscous is soft.

Taste for seasoning. This was a great dish to serve with Cholula Southern Grilled Shrimp to balance the heat of the shrimp. It's always lovely as part of a buffet or picnic - that's when I add more dried fruit and toasted almonds.

Risi e Bisi Couscous

Risi e Bisi Couscous

Printable Recipe

Hands on time: 10 minutes
Resting time: 10 minutes

Serves 2-3

Ingredients:
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1 cup couscous (I like to use whole wheat couscous when I can find it)
1 ¼ cup hot chicken broth
½ - ¾ cup frozen peas
2 heaping tbsp fresh mint, chopped
Juice and zest of ½ large lemon
¼ - ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
1. Heat the oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Sauté the onion until soft and translucent ( 3 minutes or so). Add the couscous and toss to “toast” for a minute or two.

2. While the onions are sautéing, heat the chicken broth in a small saucepan. Just before adding the hot broth to the couscous, add the frozen peas to the broth to heat through.

3. Pour the broth and peas into the couscous mixture in the skillet. Toss to combine and add the lemon juice & zest plus the chopped mint.

4. Transfer to a large bowl. Cover with foil and let rest for 5-10 minutes (until all the liquid has been absorbed and the couscous is soft).

5. Add the Parmesan cheese and salt and pepper to taste. Fluff and serve.

Great hot as a side dish or cold as part of a picnic or buffet.

Dessert Couscous with Pistachios & Rose Water

Dessert Couscous with Pistachios & Rose Water
Inspired by Sidewalk Shoes

Hands on time: 5 minutes
Standing time: 5 minutes
Serves 3-4

Ingredients:
1 ½ cup light coconut milk
1 cup whole wheat couscous
2 cracked cardamom pods
1 tbsp rose water (you can add a little more just before serving if you like)
Honey to drizzle before serving (optional)
¼ cup shelled pistachio nuts, toasted & coarsely chopped

Directions:
1. Bring coconut milk, rose water and cardamom pods to a boil in a medium saucepan over medium high heat. Allow to boil for 2-3 minutes. And remove from stove.

2. Place the couscous in a deep bowl, pour the coconut milk mixture over (use a strainer to catch the cardamom pods and any escaped seeds), cover and let stand for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork.

At this point, taste and add additional rose water and perhaps a drizzle of honey (depends on how sweet you like your dessert).

3. Sprinkle with the toasted pistachios and serve.

You can serve this warm or at room temperature. I loved it both ways.

Curried Couscous with Peas

Curried Couscous with Peas
From WomenHeart's All Heart Family Cookbook

Prep time: 5 minutes
Cooking time: 15 minutes

Serves 4

Ingredients:
1 cup fat free, reduced sodium chicken broth
1 tbsp curry powder
1 cup whole wheat couscous (I didn’t have any on hand so I used spinach couscous instead)
½ cup frozen peas, thawed
2 tbsp walnuts, chopped

Directions:
1. In a medium saucepan, combine the broth, curry powder and couscous over the medium heat. Bring to a boil. Remove from heat, covre4 and let stand for 10 minutes or until all the liquid is absorbed.

2. Stir in peas and walnuts and fluff with a fork.