Author Notes
I love couscous, and I love Moroccan flavors, this is one my favorite ways to make it. The technique is a conglomeration of classic and lazy. I find that rubbing teh grains is not only a terrifically pleasant thing to do, it keeps the cous cous from clumping and gives each little gain a bit of sumptuousness all it's own. You may need more or less liquid, check the package for ratios, but ignore their cooking instructions. It's lovely with fish or chicken, if I serve it with lamb I use a richer stock so it stands up to the gaminess.Is also very nice at room temp, or for breakfast the next day with a mushed up soft boiled egg sprinkled in zaa'tar, drizzled with olive oil and dolloped with greek yogurt. Would love to try it with artisianal or handmade couscous, but budget and time often prevents that. —Aliwaks
Ingredients
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1 cup
instant or precooked couscous
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1 1/2 cups
white light chicken stock (if its strong dilute with water)
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3 tablespoons
softened butter
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2
tablespoons olive oil
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1/2
cup pitted rough chopped picholine olives
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1/2 cup
roucgh chopped marcona almonds
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1
Half preserved lemon (pref homemade)
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2 teaspoons
sumac
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2 tablespoons
lemon juice
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1 tablespoon
lemon zest
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2-3
tablespoons torn fresh mint leaves
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1
small shallot, minced
Directions
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Bring stock & lemon juice to a boil
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Pour boiling stock over couscous, add lemon zest and quickly cover with plastic wrap. Let sit.
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Rinse preserved lemon, remove insides and chop rind in to a small dice.
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Heat olive oil in a saute pan and shallots, the preserved lemon, olives and almonds. Toss over high heat till almonds turn a nice toasty brown.
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By now couscous should have absorbed all the liquid, remove plastic wrap and take small bit of butter in your hands and start to rub the grains with butter, taking some in your buttered hands and rubbing them together gently, add the sumac while doing this, continue until all the butter is gone and the grains are separate
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Taste, season with salt & pepper
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To serve: Toss couscous with half the olive/almond/preserved lemon mix and a few torn mint leaves, serve remaining olive/almonds/lemons on top (including any residual oil) and shower with mint leaves and additional sumac if desired.
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