Couscous Date Cake Recipes

Steps:

• In a medium bowl, mix together the couscous, cilantro, egg, egg yolk, coriander, lemon zest, salt and pepper. Sprinkle the flour over the mixture. Mix until combined.
• In a large nonstick skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. Form 1/4 cupfuls of the mixture into 8 patties. Add 4 of the patties to the pan and cook for 3 to 4 minutes each side until golden. Drain on paper towels. Repeat with the remaining couscous mixture.
• Serve the couscous cakes with mango chutney.

Steps:

• Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the couscous and cook, stirring, until toasted, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the chicken broth, bay leaves, 1 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper. Bring to a boil, stirring. Reduce the heat to low; cover and cook until the liquid is absorbed and the couscous is tender, about 10 minutes. Discard the bay leaves.
• Add the dates, scallions, parsley, dill and lemon zest to the pot and stir; season with salt and pepper. Transfer to a serving bowl. Drizzle with olive oil and top with pomegranate seeds.

Steps:

• In a medium saucepan, salt 1 1/4 cups water and bring to a boil. Whisk in the couscous. Turn off the heat, cover and let stand for 5 minutes. Transfer the cooked couscous to a bowl and mix in the nuts, parsley and egg. Season with salt and pepper. With damp hands, form the couscous into 4 patties, about 1-inch thick (about the same thickness of your first thumb joint).
• Heat the oil in a 12-inch nonstick pan over moderate heat until hot but not smoking. Carefully place the couscous cakes in the pan and cook until golden, turning once, about 5 minutes per side. Remove from the heat and serve.
• BYOC: The thing I love about making cakes is I can really throw anything in there. Sticking with the Middle Eastern theme, dates would add a nice texture to these. Plus, you can break up leftovers in a pan for an alternative to fried rice. You can throw any herb in here - basil, thyme or oregano.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour a 9 inch square pan. In a saucepan, combine water and raisins. Bring to a boil and cook for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in chopped dates and baking soda. Set aside.
• In a large bowl, cream together 1/2 cup butter and 3/4 cup white sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir in the vanilla. Beat in the flour, salt and date mixture. Pour batter into prepared pan.
• Bake in the preheated oven for 45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Remove cake from oven, and set oven to Broil.
• Make Topping: In a saucepan, melt 4 tablespoons of butter. Stir in brown sugar, cream and chopped nuts. Spread mixture over warm cake and place under broiler until lightly browned, about 3 minutes. Watch carefully - it burns easily under the broiler. Cool before serving.

Steps:

• Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/ gas 4. Heat 1 tbsp of the oil in a large frying pan over a high heat. Season the chicken, then cook for 10 mins or until browned on both sides. Remove and put in a large baking dish with the dry couscous.
• Heat the remaining oil in the pan, add the onions and garlic, and cook for 5 mins until softened. Add the zest and juice of 1 lemon along with the stock, cumin, cinnamon and dates, then bring to the boil.
• Pour the date mixture over the chicken and couscous, sprinkle over the almonds, cover with foil and bake for 20 mins. Serve sprinkled with the remaining zest and parsley.

Steps:

• Cook couscous according to package directions., Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine the spinach, carrots, dates, almonds, lemon juice, zest, salt and lemon pepper. Stir in couscous. Garnish with green onions.

Steps:

• Combine the water and brown sugar or honey in a saucepan, and bring to a boil. Turn the heat to medium, and boil gently until the sugar has dissolved. Stir in the optional orange flower water, the chopped apricots and the raisins or currants, and set aside for five minutes.
• Place the couscous in a 2-quart bowl, and add the cinnamon and salt. Stir together. Pour on the hot syrup. Mix together with a fork, spatula or wooden spoon, and set aside for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. At this point, if not eating right away, cover and refrigerate.
• Shortly before serving, steam the couscous in one of two ways. Line a strainer with a double layer of cheesecloth, and dump the couscous into the strainer. Then set above a pot with 1 inch of boiling water. Cover and steam for 15 minutes, making sure that the water is well below the couscous. Transfer to a bowl, add the butter, and toss together until the butter melts. Alternatively, place the couscous in a microwave and cover tightly with plastic wrap. Microwave for two minutes. Carefully uncover, stir in the butter and cover again. Microwave for another two minutes. Remove the plastic, being careful of the steam in the bowl.
• With a paring knife, peel away the skin and pith from the orange, holding it over the couscous so that any juice drips onto the couscous. Still holding the orange over the couscous, cut out the sections from between the membranes.
• Pile the couscous into a mound on a platter, or spoon into individual serving bowls. Decorate with orange sections, date slices and pomegranate seeds, and serve.

Steps:

• In a small bowl, combine dates with boiling water. Set aside to cool.
• Pre heat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour a 9x13-inch pan.
• In a medium bowl, mix flour, soda, salt and cocoa. Set aside.
• Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs. Add flour mixture alternating with cooled date mixture. Fold in chopped nuts and 1/2 cup of the chocolate chips to mixture.
• Spread batter into prepared pan. Sprinkle remaining 1/2 cup of chocolate chips over top.
• Bake in preheated oven for 45 to 60 minutes, or until toothpick inserted into middle of cake comes out clean.

Steps:

• For the Cake: With the rack in the middle position, preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F). Butter and flour a 20-cm (8-inch) springform pan. Line the bottom with parchment paper.
• In a saucepan, bring the water, dates, butter and baking soda to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, stirring frequently, for about 3 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and let cool slightly. Cover and refrigerate until lukewarm, about 30 minutes.
• In a bowl, combine the flour, couscous and baking powder. Set aside.
• In another bowl, beat the eggs with the sugar using an electric mixer until the mixture turns pale, triples in volume and falls from the beaters in a ribbon, about 10 minutes. Using a spatula, gently fold in the dry ingredients then the date mixture.
• Pour into the springform pan and bake until a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean, about 65 minutes.
• Let cool. Run the blade of a thin knife around the inside of the pan. Unmould and let cool on a rack.
• For the Icing: In a bowl, beat the sugar and milk until smooth. Drizzle over the cooled cake.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375°F. Brush 9-inch-diameter cake pan with 3-inch-high sides with olive oil. Line bottom of pan with parchment paper round; brush parchment with olive oil. Sift flour, baking powder, and salt into medium bowl. Stir in couscous. Whisk olive oil and Muscat in another medium bowl to blend.
• Using stand mixer fitted with whisk attachment, beat egg yolks, eggs, and 1 cup sugar on high speed in large bowl until thick and pale yellow, about 7 minutes. Transfer to large wide bowl. Stir in orange peel. Using rubber spatula, gently fold in flour mixture alternately with olive oil mixture in 4 additions each (mixture may deflate slightly). Transfer batter to prepared pan. Tap pan lightly on work surface to eliminate any air bubbles.
• Bake cake until dark brown and beginning to pull away from sides of pan and tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 45 minutes. Transfer cake to rack and cool in pan at least 30 minutes. Turn cake out onto platter (cake may fall slightly in center). Do ahead Can be made 1 day ahead. Cool. Cover with foil and store at room temperature.
• Using electric mixer, beat cream and créme fraîche in large bowl until soft peaks form.
• Cut cake into wedges. Place 1 cake wedge on each plate. Drizzle date syrup over. Spoon whipped cream alongside. Sprinkle dates over.

Steps:

• Bring the water, stock, and oil to a boil in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add the dates followed by the couscous. Cover the pan tightly with a lid, remove from the heat, and allow to sit for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Transfer to a serving bowl and serve.

Steps:

• Put the water into a saucepan over high heat.
• When the water comes to a boil, add the salt, pepper, and couscous.
• Remove the pan from the heat, cover it, and let it sit undisturbed for 5 minutes.
• Fluff the couscous by lightly running a fork or whisk back and forth in the pan, starting with the top layer and gradually working your way down.
• In a large bowl, whisk the eggs; slowly whisk in the flour.
• With a spoon, stir in the parsley and the blue cheese.
• Add the couscous and chill the batter for 30 minutes.
• SAUCE:.
• In a medium saucepan, heat 1 Tbsp olive oil; add the onion.
• Sauté over medium heat for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Add the garlic and sauté for 5 minutes more.
• Add the tomatoes, white wine, and water.
• Let the ragout simmer for 10 to 15 minutes, until it has the consistency of a thick sauce.
• Season it with salt and pepper and keep it warm.
• When the couscous mixture has cooled, heat a large skillet with 1 Tbsp olive oil over medium-high heat.
• When the oil is hot, drop couscous batter onto the skillet to form 3-inch cakes.
• Sear them on one side for about 3 minutes, or until the undersides are golden brown.
• Flip them with a spatula and sear them on the other side, for about 3 minutes.
• Remove the cakes to a plate and add more batter to the pan.
• Continue making cakes until all the couscous batter is used.
• You should have 3 cakes per person.
• Serve the cakes hot on top of the warmed tomato-garlic ragout.

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line an 8x4 inch loaf pan with aluminum foil. Set aside. Soak the couscous and raisins in the water for about 5 minutes.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, sugar, lemon curd and lemon juice. Stir into the couscous. Transfer to the prepared loaf pan.
• Bake for 30 minutes in the preheated oven, or until the center is firm. Cool, then remove from the pan. Remove the aluminum foil, slice and serve.

Steps:

• Bring 2 cups water and 1/2 teaspoon salt to boil in medium saucepan. Add couscous; stir 30 seconds. Remove from heat. Cover and let stand 5 minutes. Fluff with fork. Transfer to large bowl to cool.
• Whisk olive oil, lemon juice, lemon peel, and cardamom to blend in small bowl. Drizzle over couscous. Mix in garbanzo beans, dates, almonds, minced cilantro, and green onions. Season with salt and pepper. Let stand at room temperature at least 1 hour and up to 2 hours. Garnish with cilantro sprigs.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour an 8-inch round springform pan.
• Bring a small saucepan of water to a boil. Add dates and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Drain dates and transfer to a food processor. Puree dates into a smooth paste.
• Sift together flour and baking soda into a large bowl. Stir in chopped walnuts until combined and set aside.
• Beat together butter and sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Slowly add beaten eggs, allowing them to thoroughly blend into the butter mixture. Stir in ground dates and mix until combined. Pour in flour mixture and stir with a wooden spoon until just incorporated. Add 3/4 cup hot water or as needed to thin the batter into a pourable consistency. Transfer the batter to the prepared pan.
• Bake cake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 45 to 50 minutes. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes before removing to cool completely on a wire rack.

Steps:

• In a large mixing bowl, using your hands, mix the couscous, eggs, parsley, onions, basil, cheese, lemon zest, and salt and pepper.
• Sprinkle the mixture with the flour and mix again.
• Form the cakes to the size you want, I made cakes about 2" round.
• Heat the olive oil in a skillet and fry the cakes until golden brown, about 2-3 minutes on the first side and 2 minutes on the other side.
• Remove from the pan and let them drain on paper towels to remove some of the oil before plating up.
• Salt and pepper again to taste.

Steps:

• Bring water, oil, zest, and salt to a boil in a 1- to 1 1/2-quart heavy saucepan. Stir in couscous and dates, then cover pan and remove from heat. Let stand, covered, 5 minutes.
• Fluff couscous with a fork and stir in scallion greens.

Steps:

• In a medium saucepan, combine water, butter, orange peel and juice, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Bring to a boil. Add the couscous to the boiling water. Remove from heat and cover for ten minutes. Liquid should be absorbed. Fluff with a fork.
• In a small frying pan, heat the almonds over medium heat, stirring continuously until toasted. Add the raisins and dates and butter. Heat all until butter is melted.
• Serve couscous spread over a platter, top with topping mixture. Sprinkle a bit of powdered sugar over the top.

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit/220 degrees Celsius.
• Prepare the pepper sauce: Add the bell peppers and tomato to a baking sheet (tray) and toss with 1 tablespoon oil, 1/4 teaspoon salt and a good grind of pepper. Drizzle the garlic heads with a little oil, wrap tightly in foil and place them to one side of the baking sheet. Roast for 35 minutes or until the pepper skins are well charred and the garlic has softened.
• When cool enough to handle, peel and discard the pepper and tomato skins. (Don't worry if you can't remove all the skin.) Add the peeled vegetables to a food processor. Squeeze the garlic cloves out of their papery skins (discarding the skins) and add them to the blender along with the vinegar, maple syrup, 1/4 teaspoon salt and a good grind of pepper. Blitz for a few seconds, then, with the machine running, slowly drizzle in the remaining 3 tablespoons oil until incorporated and the sauce is smooth. Set aside pepper sauce.
• Meanwhile, prepare the couscous cake: Add the couscous, 1/2 teaspoon salt and boiling water to a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring to a simmer, then cover with a lid and turn the heat to medium-low. Cook for 10 minutes, then set aside to cool.
• Place a large nonstick skillet over high heat. Toss the scallions (spring onions) with 1/2 tablespoon oil, then add to the pan and fry until softened and charred, turning halfway through, about 4 minutes. Set the scallions aside.
• Turn the heat down to medium-high, then add another 1/2 tablespoon oil and the spinach to the pan. Cook until wilted, about 90 seconds, then transfer to a large bowl. Roughly chop the scallions and add two-thirds to the bowl with the spinach. Add the couscous, yogurt, both cheeses, flour, eggs, garlic, coriander, basil, 1/2 teaspoon salt and a good grind of pepper to the bowl and mix everything to combine.
• Wipe out the skillet and heat 5 tablespoons oil over medium-high. Once hot, add the couscous mixture, and use a spoon to evenly distribute and smooth out the top. Turn the heat down to medium-low and cook for 20 minutes; the edges will be golden, the cake will start to set in the center and you should be able to loosen the cake from the base.
• Use a spatula to gently separate the cake from the sides of the pan, running it under the cake as well to try to loosen it from the bottom. Remove the pan from the heat and, very gently, invert the whole thing onto a large plate. Return the pan to the heat and slide the cake back into it, crispy-side up, to brown the other side. Cook for 8 minutes over medium heat, then transfer the cake to a large wooden board or serving platter.
• In a small bowl, combine the remaining scallions with the extra basil leaves and the remaining 1 tablespoon oil. Sprinkle the cake all over with the extra pecorino and top with the scallion mixture. Serve with the pepper sauce in a bowl alongside.

Steps:

• Place couscous in large bowl. Bring 2 2/3 cups water, 1/2 cup sugar and oil to boil in heavy large saucepan, stirring to dissolve sugar. Pour mixture over couscous and stir until well blended. Cover and let stand 10 minutes. Fluff with fork to separate grains. Mix nuts and dates into couscous. Transfer couscous to 13x9x2-inch baking dish. Cool. Cover with foil. (Can be prepared 4 hours ahead. Let stand at room temperature.)
• Preheat oven to 350°F. Bake couscous until heated through, about 20 minutes. Spoon into bowls. Serve, passing hot milk and additional sugar separately.