For a Quick Meal, Try Couscous!

When I wake up in the morning and realize I haven't made anything to bring to work for lunch, the answer is almost always couscous.  This semolina pasta (that is often mistaken for a grain) is super easy to make and can be prepared in the time it takes to boil water.  It's very popular in Middle Eastern, Northern African, and even Sicilian cultures and it's easy to see why. Since it also has a pretty neutral taste, you can basically toss anything into a bowl with it and call it a meal.  This recipe is more about the preparation of the couscous itself and the resulting dish is merely an example of what can be made with it.  Toss in pomegranate seeds, nuts, lamb, chicken, or raisins.  You can make it sweet with milk, honey and cinnamon...the possibilities are endless.  So go cook some couscous and toss in whatever your heart desires.


Makes about 2 side-dish servings
Ingredients:
3/4 cup water
1/4 teaspoon olive oil
pinch of salt
1/4 teaspoon Madras curry powder
1/2 cup couscous
1/2 cup raisins roughly chopped

1/2 cup raw pecans

1 green onion thinly sliced, white part only

1 teaspoon minced fresh flat-leaf parsley

2 Tablespoons good extra virgin olive oil

Juice and zest from half a lemon

Instructions:
1) In a small saucepan bring the water along with the 1/4 teaspoon olive oil, the pinch of salt, and madras curry powder to a boil.
2) Turn off the heat and stir in the couscous.  Quickly cover and allow to sit for ten minutes.
3) Meanwhile, in a dry hot skillet, toast the pecans for about 5 minutes being careful not to burn them.  Remove from heat and roughly chop.
4) When the couscous is done (after ten minutes of sitting) fluff with a fork.  At first it will all be in one dense layer in the bottom of the pot.

Before Fluffing

After Fluffing

5) Toss all of the remaining ingredients into the saucepan with the couscous (raisins, pecans, green onion, parsley, olive oil, lemon juice and zest) and mix to combine.  Check the flavor and add more salt if needed.  Serve hot or allow to sit in the refrigerator for a few hours and serve cold.  Enjoy!!


**There is a larger variety of couscous called Israeli couscous, but what we are talking about in this post is plain tiny little couscous.