Marrakesh Couscous Recipes

Steps:

• Place a large, heavy bottomed pot over medium heat. Stir in the cumin, ginger, cloves, cayenne, cardamom, coriander, and allspice; gently toast until fragrant, about 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in oil and onion, cook until softened. Stir in the bell pepper, and zucchini; cook for 5 minutes. Stir in the raisins, salt, zest, and garbanzos.
• Pour in the chicken broth and orange juice; turn heat to high and bring to a boil. When the mixture is boiling, stir in the couscous and remove from heat; cover, and let stand 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork, and fold in chopped mint.

Steps:

• Make the spice blend: Toast the cinnamon stick, both peppercorns, cumin, coriander, allspice, cloves and cardamom in a small dry skillet over medium heat until fragrant, 2 minutes; let cool. Grind in a spice grinder or mini food processor with the ginger, turmeric, cayenne, nutmeg and 1 teaspoon salt. Store in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks; use leftover spice blend as a rub for meat or fish.
• Make the couscous: Heat the butter, 1 1/2 teaspoons spice blend and the saffron, if desired, in a large skillet over medium-high heat until lightly toasted, about 1 minute. Add the couscous and stir until toasted, about 1 minute. Stir in the warm broth, remove from the heat, cover and set aside until the couscous is plump, about 7 minutes. Add the lemon juice and fluff with a fork. Transfer to a bowl and sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon spice blend.

Steps:

• Melt the butter in a large saute pan, add the shallots and cook for 3 minutes over medium heat. Add the chicken stock, salt and pepper, raise the heat to high and bring the stock to a boil. Off the heat and add the couscous. Cover the pan and let it sit for 10 minutes.
• Add the pignoli nuts and currants to the couscous, stir and serve.
• Place the chickens, onions, carrots, celery, parsnips, parsley, thyme, dill, garlic, salt, and peppercorns in a 16 to 20-quart stockpot with 7 quarts of water and bring to a boil. Skim the surface as needed. Simmer uncovered for 4 hours. Strain the entire contents of the pot through a colander, discarding the chicken and vegetables, and chill. Discard the hardened fat, and then pack the broth in quart containers.

Steps:

• Bring the broth to a boil in a saucepan; stir in the couscous and currants; remove from heat, cover, and set aside for 10 minutes.
• Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat; add in shallots, bell pepper, zucchini, carrot, chile, scallions, coriander, cumin, cayenne, turmeric, and season with salt and pepper to taste.
• Increase heat to med-high and cook until vegetables begin to soften, stirring often, about 5 minutes.
• Add the couscous mixture and lemon juice; cook until heated through, about 3 minutes.
• Remove from heat and stir in the parsley; taste to adjust seasonings.
• Serve hot, cold, or at room temperature.
• *Can add a can of drained chickpeas for protein.

Steps:

• In a 6-qt. stockpot, heat oil over medium-high heat. Brown chicken on both sides. Stir in tomatoes, artichoke hearts, lemon juice, preserves, salt, spices and seasoning packet from couscous; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, covered, 10 minutes to allow flavors to develop and for chicken to cook through., Stir in couscous; remove from heat. Let stand, covered, 5 minutes. If desired, sprinkle with almonds.