An ancient 'superfood' sent from heaven
Tagine is a classic Berber dish named after the colorfully decorated earthenware pot in which it is cooked. Grilled or boiled meat is a primary ingredient, with vegetables mixed with fresh coriander, hot spices, and a little garlic rounding the dish off. But tagine often includes couscous, and can be prepared as a vegetarian option using almonds and chickpeas, for example.
Drawing on traditional North African and Middle Eastern recipes for inspiration, there are all sorts of ways you can use couscous in your kitchen. What about a plate of sliced lean grilled chicken breast on savory couscous with roasted vegetables, including courgette, peppers, and tomato?
Couscous dishes have always been favored by vegetarians and meat eaters alike. The ingredient is an appealing alternative to pasta, and works equally as well as a salad base. Pictured is a simple lunchtime option using tomato, carrot, zucchini, yellow bell pepper, and fresh basil.
When it's cold and miserable outside, why not rustle up an appetizing bowl of hot soup made from tomato and couscous enlivened with chickpeas and topped with chopped parsley and a sprinkling of crumbled feta cheese?
This simple salad is made from couscous mixed with raisins, pine seeds, and chopped almonds—a healthy side dish to any meat or fish dish.
Add chopped tomato, diced avocado, and sliced red onion to a bed of couscous. Sprinkle in pomegranate seeds and drizzle with olive oil to produce an appetizing and super healthy salad dish.
Here's an idea! Grilled pumpkin with couscous and quinoa served with chickpeas and cubes of feta cheese. Garnish with mint or chives. Delicious!
You can always embolden a couscous dish by adding a few slices of raw radish. Crunchy and sharp-tasting, radish works well combined with watermelon or carrots, for example. Garnish with arugula and enjoy.
Couscous has long been used as a savory stuffing. Mix it up with sliced courgette, red and yellow bell peppers, and thinly chopped spring onion. Arrange in the hollow half of a freshly baked aubergine and serve with a chilled white wine.
Couscous combined with quinoa is a blend of tasty goodness. Add to the mix crispy bacon cuts, toasted sliced almonds, and a sprig of fresh parsley for a delicious protein boost.
In Algeria and Morocco, couscous is generally served with chicken, lamb, or mutton. If using chicken, fry it until crisp and golden and serve with pumpkin cubes, cranberries, and feta cheese. Garnish with mint or lemon zest.
Seafood makes an inspired alternative to meat. Why not dive into this mouthwatering salad dish of roasted shrimp mixed with peas, leeks, and carrots?
A delectable and flavorsome recipe is pan-fried salmon with tender asparagus and courgette served on couscous mixed with sweet tomato and yellow bell pepper. Don't forget the parsley!
This recipe idea uses red and yellow bell pepper halves hollowed out to receive a fistful of couscous mixed with dried tomato, black olives, and freshly picked basil leaves. The peppers are ideal either raw or lightly grilled–it's your choice.
How about this for an appetizer? Find the biggest and plumpest tomatoes, scalp them and fill with savory couscous and feta cheese.
A trimmed down version of tabbouleh is this couscous salad that uses cucumber, red and yellow peppers, and red onion. Sprinkle liberally with chopped parsley, lovage, mint, and chives.
For a main dish that fills hungry mouths, prepare balsamic glazed grilled chicken with mixed couscous, asparagus, red or green grapes, and tomato. Serve with crispy sweet potato fries and a good red wine.
Another flavorsome main meal idea is couscous served with vegetable ragout and chicken topped with a fried egg. Have some parsley handy for garnish.
Here's an idea from Brazil—corn couscous. Known as cuscuz marroquino, their version is usually made out of cornmeal rather than semolina wheat, and often eaten cold as part of breakfast. Serve with a mug of hot black coffee and you're good to go!
A wonderfully appetizing winter rustic food idea is grilled portobello mushrooms topped with savory couscous. Make sure the mushrooms are cooked through to remove some of their natural moisture.
Couscous is a popular dish in Greece, and they have a version that uses a topping of lamb meatballs with avocado bathed in a Greek yogurt sauce. Whole grain flatbread mops up the sauce.
This marvelous meat dish combines slices of fried spicy sausage and cubed fried chicken. Caramelized onions add extra bite. Garnish with celery, feta cheese, and a sprig of mint.
If you have the skill and the wherewithal you can take a couscous dish up a notch or two with this gourmet option. The star turn is the chicken mousse. Lightly cooked broccoli, sautéed string beans, and grated carrot complete the picture.
This is as delicious as it looks! Couscous, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, feta cheese, black olives, and onion all sprinkled with herbs and served with wedges of roasted tender chicken breast.
This is couscous and chickpeas enlivened with a black bean, tomato, broccoli, and parsley ensemble topped off with olive oil and sea salt.
A veritable work of art, this healthy cauliflower couscous is served with baked baby carrots, yogurt, sesame, mixed nuts, raisins, and mint.
A firm favorite with many, this spiced chicken and lemon skewer idea is complemented by a bed of soft couscous garnished with pomegranate seeds and parsley.
Sources: (Britannica) (Inside Arabia)
See also: The health benefits of herbs and spices
Tabbouleh is a vegetarian salad made mostly of finely chopped parsley, tomato, mint, and onion. It's served widely across the Levantine nations of Lebanon, Jordan, and Syria. The base ingredient is bulgur, a cereal. However, you can use couscous as a perfectly acceptable alternative.
This hearty belly filler is a soup that thinks it's a stew, and it's so easy to make. Meatballs are added to the couscous, which is garnished with leafy green vegetables and just-right seasoning. This is another favorite dish from the Levant.
Couscous is one of the most versatile cooking ingredients found in the kitchen. Made from crushed durum wheat semolina, couscous originates from North Africa and the Middle East, where it's often served with a hearty stew. Introduced into Europe through the Iberian Peninsula in the 13th century, couscous is today listed in all sorts of delicious and appetizing recipes. And guess what? It's so easy to prepare.
Hungry to know more? Click through the following gallery for some mouthwatering meal ideas and serving suggestions.
What to cook with couscous
Cozy couscous dishes for fall
FOOD Gastronomy
Couscous is one of the most versatile cooking ingredients found in the kitchen. Made from crushed durum wheat semolina, couscous originates from North Africa and the Middle East, where it's often served with a hearty stew. Introduced into Europe through the Iberian Peninsula in the 13th century, couscous is today listed in all sorts of delicious and appetizing recipes. And guess what? It's so easy to prepare.
Hungry to know more? Click through the following gallery for some mouthwatering meal ideas and serving suggestions.