Couscous

Wild Mushroom Couscous

by:
October  8, 2013
5
2 Ratings
Wild Mushroom Couscous
  • Serves 4
Author Notes

This side dish is quick, easy, and impressive. I found amazing Chanterelles but you can use what mushrooms look best in your area. This serves four as a side dish or 2 to 3 as a main, the ingredients are easy to find, and it can be easily adjusted to fit any taste. I love using couscous: It is fast, easy, and has great texture, awesome if you are in a hurry as it only take 5 minutes to prepare. A quick sauté on the mushrooms and a dash or two of wine, and you have a five-star dish at home for a fraction of the price! —Alexandra V. Jones

Test Kitchen Notes

This dish comes together quickly as the couscous cooks in a mere five minutes. It easily serves four as a side dish, or two or three as a main dish. I used some local oyster and shiitake mushrooms in my version; their earthy flavors blended well with the airy couscous. This dish was a marriage of layered, elegant flavors, and its lovely texture and the complexity of its taste have cemented its place on my table. —CamillaMMann

What You'll Need
Ingredients
  • Couscous
  • 1 cup couscous
  • 1 palmful dried porcini mushrooms
  • 2 cups stock
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • Pinch of salt
  • 1 clove garlic
  • Sauteed mushrooms
  • 2 cups sliced mushrooms (I used chanterelles, as it is the season for these beauties)
  • 1 shallot, minced
  • 2 teaspoons ponzu or soy sauce
  • 1/4 cup dry white wine
  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley (I’ve been loving the “curly” variety lately; It is very midtown Manhattan in the 80’s, haha!)
  • Cracked black pepper, to taste
Directions
  1. Boil two cups of stock with dried porcinis, salt, and 1 teaspoon olive oil. Remove from heat and pour over couscous in a medium mixing bowl. Cover with plastic wrap; after five minutes, remove wrap, fluff with a fork, and set aside.
  2. In a skillet over medium-high heat, heat 2 teaspoons of olive oil until shimmering. Add shallot and garlic, cook for 2 minutes, add mushrooms in one layer, add butter, and cook for 4 minutes. Flip, then cook 2 more minutes. Add ponzu (or soy) sauce and white wine, then reduce for a few minutes. Toss with parsley and pepper, and serve over cous cous. Fungi heaven!
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  • Alexandra V. Jones
    Alexandra V. Jones
  • Prim
    Prim
  • shortnsweet
    shortnsweet
  • Mike
    Mike
Alexandra V. Jones
Chef de cuisine @Shelburne hotel Seaview, WA

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6 Reviews

Prim
Prim November 28, 2023
Great recipe! It was hard to find good, Moroccan cous cous consistently. I put it over mushroom risotto (using the recipe's porcini mushroom stock) and added a touch of Agrumato Lemon Olive oil to finish.
 
Prim
Prim October 6, 2023
Perfect!
 
shortnsweet
shortnsweet November 20, 2016
so i am writing back to say i've tweaked this recipe a bit to make a main. i add one of those mini goya cans of small white beans and use quinoa instead of couscous, to bump up the protein. i'd also love to add pancetta but would probably cook it in a separate pan to not add the fat to the dish.
 
shortnsweet
shortnsweet October 24, 2016
this is delicious, holy moly. so simple, and you're probably wondering, why is there soy sauce? but it elevates the meaty umami taste in the mushrooms and the butter+wine knocks it out of the park. you layer the flavors in such a way that you get something decadent and caramel-y from a few ingredients you probably already have in your house. also, no fancy mushrooms needed! i used buttons once and baby bellas the next time, both were delicious.

one note about proportions--i'm a grainy gal, but mushrooms cook down a lot. i would double the mushrooms and leave the couscous portion size the same.
 
Mike
Mike August 6, 2015
What kind of stock?
 
Alexandra V.
Alexandra V. August 6, 2015
Beef is really good, or veggie if you are not a meat eater.