North-African Couscous Recipe

Dom Darling's Couscous Royal
(abridged version, originally written for a serial batchelor)

The chick pea soaking (see below) must start at least 24 hours before cooking
The cooking should start at least 5 hours before serving for a no stress preparation.

Ingredients : serves 8 meals

(from cupboard)

- fine sea salt
-Chili puree or traditional Harissa

(from local whole foods store)

-1 packet of couscous (it's traditionally made out of wheat semolina by North-African women)
-1 packet of sun-dried tomatoes (not compulsory)
-1 packet of chick peas (essential)
- some laminaria weeds (not compulsory)
- dried sultanas or raisins or any kind of seedless dessicated grapes (traditional but not essential)

(from market)

- 8 average carrots or 4 big ones (must be organic)
-a few parsnips (according to taste and availability) (not compulsory for not traditional)
-a few small courgettes (aka zucchini) or 1 or 2 big ones (better if organic but not too bad if not)
-a few small eggplants or a big one
-2 turnips (according to taste)
-several whole heads of garlic (to taste)
-2 fresh coriander bunches (not compulsory but very nice)

(from supermarket)

-canned tomatoes (whole or diced) (2tins)
-4 chicken breasts
-2 beef roasts or a big one, the cheaper the better, remove the fat if necessary
-same amount of lamb (or mutton if you like the taste), the cheaper the better, even if containing a little bit fat

This dish uses three different meats, hence Coucous Royal. In poor couscous, there was very little meat and in some dry areas only the vegetables they could find. You must have enough meat to serve a reasonable portion of each of them when cooked for 8 people (or 8 meals)

The 24 hours before, in a big bowl soak a vast amount of chick peas (500gr, i.e. half a packet) in lukewarm water. (they must be covered in water all the time to rehydrate properly)
Change the water twice during soaking.
Rinse thoroughly before placing in pressure cooker.

Cut all meats so as to have 8 portions of each of them (Don't cut in too small bits)
Add into the pressure cooker, then
Add whole garlic heads (up to 4 if you feel like, the garlicky taste and smell will disappear with cooking)
Add one or two bunches of fresh coriander (to taste)
Add laminaria seaweed whole or roughly cut in big bits (not traditional but nice)
Add canned tomatoes
Add a teaspoonful of salt
Cover generously in spring or filtered water

Cook for over an hour  on high pressure (button turned to the right), starting on a small burner with cold water and not too high heat. The pressure will need at least 15 minutes to rise and start coming out of the cooker.
If it takes a lot longer, prolong a little bit the cooking.
You must hear some steam gently coming out of the cooker but must not be too noisy. If too noisy reduce heat drastically.
Turn stove off and forget about the pan for a while to allow it to take off pressure.
Check there is not pressure inside any more and turn pressure button to the left. The first time, do so outside and cautiously, just in case there is pressure left.

Open the pan and add all the (roughly washed) vegetables cut in big chunks
Add sun-dried tomatoes to taste (one or two handfuls)
Add approx a teaspoon of salt, less if sun dried tomatoes contain salt crystals (as they usually do)
There must be liquid at least almost to the top of the vegetables
Cook on low pressure (button not entirely to the right) for between 15 to 30 minutes

The meats must be really cooked and chick peas softish and easy to eat whereas the vegetables can be less so, but traditionally they are boiled anyway, so not crunchy as in a stir fry or curry, it's all normal. They're not dead either.

Let pressure cool down after turning the stove off while you get the couscous semolina ready.
Open pressure cooker after a while and taste broth, it must be salty enough but not too much. If necessary

Take a big glass or porcelain or plastic bowl suitable for microwave, (you'll need some space to stir so bowl shouldn't be too small)
Place half a packet of couscous (500g) in bowl, sprinkle a spoonful of fine sea salt, mix with a fork and add lukewarm filtered or spring water to humidify the grains but not soak them
Stir and Microwave for 1 or 2 minutes. It should be very hot.
Mix roughly with a fork to bring air in taste and Microwave for another 1 or 2 minutes if grains still hard under the tooth (needs to be longer if the microwave is not very powerful)

The couscous should be steaming hot, not too salty
Add little blobs of butter on top of the dish and mix gently with a fork until melted.
Taste. Should taste nicely soft but not gooey, salty but not too much so, and slightly buttery
The grains shouldn't stick together.
If the grains still feel hard under the tooth and if there is no liquid left, add half a mug of hot water and stir and cook again for 1 or 2 minutes

(Traditionally, women cook couscous in a steam cooker for ages, they roll it very hot in butter with their hands and it takes ages. OK, microwave is a crime, but it works very well in five minutes.)

In a bowl cover 3 or more handfuls of sultanas with broth, cover with lid or plate and allow to rehydrate for at least an hour (ikea cooking bowls are perfect for they have a glass lid)

In a bowl dilute some Harissa or chili paste with some of the broth and add a spoonful or two of sultanas and a few dried bird chillies (if you have some). There must be enough hot sauce for 8 people or 8 serves. It should be rather liquid and not far too hot

Reheat in microwave and serve couscous grains in a dome in a round dish with the sultanas re-hydrated in broth nicely placed all around (this is the traditional way). More simply you can serve it reheated in its original dish with sultanas all around

Serve vegetables and meats and broth altogether in a very big dish, using ladles and big forks for meat (use the very big stainless steel ikea dish)

Or more simply, place meat in a big bowl with some of the broth to keep it hot and vegetables and broth in another dish.

Serve on big plates or soup plates :  Every plate will have a small dome of couscous grain and some of the re-hydrated sultanas according to taste and one or two or more ladles of vegetables and chick peas (but don't drown the grain in broth, it's unpleasant), some of the 3 different sorts of meat

According to taste add some of the chili sauce that you pour over with a spoon. Try some at first, taste and then increase the amount if necessary to obtain the desirable and sustainable heat. Try one of the hot sultanas too but bird chillies are not advisable)

For a second helping, make sure that everything is very hot. Couscous must be eaten very hot (and it usually provokes perspiration)

Serve red wine or tea (traditionally, Muslims don't drink wine)

End meal with very strong fresh mint tea and oriental pastries

Immediately cool down the remains in the fridge (absolutely compulsory)

The day after :
When it is cold remove the grease on top and throw it away to birds
Make portions in glass or plastic dishes that can go to microwave, freeze immediately
Freeze couscous grains with sultanas separately in small plastic bags
Defrost and thoroughly reheat a meat and vegetable portion in the microwave
Place a portion of grain on a plate, cover with microwave plate cover and microwave for 2 or 3 minutes
Serve altogether with meat and vegetables