For my final entry about Moroccan cuisine, I'll share chef Fouzia Habrich's couscous recipe.
The chef began by showing me the difference between several varieties of couscous. The one photographed above is a Berber couscous - its grains are teeny tiny. This is the one we cooked, and the result was fantastic because it was light, fluffy, and full of taste.
In Morocco, couscous must always be served with at least seven vegetables, and this recipe includes nine.
1 red onion, finely sliced
olive oil*
beef
tomato
pepper
coriander
paprika
all-spice
salt
carrot
daikon radish
cabbage
zucchini
tomato paste
pumpkin
eggplant
chickpeas
fava beans
couscous
The chef used what looked like a double steamer to make this dish. The lower part is like a regular pot, and the top is a special colander-type apparatus that steams the couscous perfectly. In the bottom pot, sweat sliced red onion in olive oil, add quartered tomato, and season with pepper, coriander, paprika, and all-spice. Sweat well, add water and salt, and cover. Slice carrot, daikon radish, and zucchini into long, thick strips, and add to pan along with cabbage cut in quarters. Add tomato paste, your preferred cut of beef, chickpeas and fava beans. Let cook for about one hour, or until the beef is tender.
In a separate pot, bring water to a boil. Place the couscous in a bowl and season with salt, pepper, good olive oil and a bit of the boiling water. Mix with a spatula, and add a bit more of the boiling water. Place couscous in the steamer apparatus and let that aromas from the vegetables and beef cook the couscous. Do not cover the pot. The steam will be enough to cook the couscous and will prevent it from turning it into balls.
This is the trick to powdery, fluffy, delicious couscous.
*The chef used the best olive oil I've ever had. And believe me, I've had some darn good olive oil in Italy, Spain, Croatia, southern France, and Israel. This one came in a jar, without a label, and chef refused to tell me where it had come from or how I could get some. All he said was that it was home-made, and that it was the best olive oil in the world. He was right.
1 red onion, finely sliced
olive oil*
beef
tomato
pepper
coriander
paprika
all-spice
salt
carrot
daikon radish
cabbage
zucchini
tomato paste
pumpkin
eggplant
chickpeas
fava beans
couscous
The chef used what looked like a double steamer to make this dish. The lower part is like a regular pot, and the top is a special colander-type apparatus that steams the couscous perfectly. In the bottom pot, sweat sliced red onion in olive oil, add quartered tomato, and season with pepper, coriander, paprika, and all-spice. Sweat well, add water and salt, and cover. Slice carrot, daikon radish, and zucchini into long, thick strips, and add to pan along with cabbage cut in quarters. Add tomato paste, your preferred cut of beef, chickpeas and fava beans. Let cook for about one hour, or until the beef is tender.
In a separate pot, bring water to a boil. Place the couscous in a bowl and season with salt, pepper, good olive oil and a bit of the boiling water. Mix with a spatula, and add a bit more of the boiling water. Place couscous in the steamer apparatus and let that aromas from the vegetables and beef cook the couscous. Do not cover the pot. The steam will be enough to cook the couscous and will prevent it from turning it into balls.
This is the trick to powdery, fluffy, delicious couscous.
*The chef used the best olive oil I've ever had. And believe me, I've had some darn good olive oil in Italy, Spain, Croatia, southern France, and Israel. This one came in a jar, without a label, and chef refused to tell me where it had come from or how I could get some. All he said was that it was home-made, and that it was the best olive oil in the world. He was right.
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| the best olive oil i've ever had - no idea where it came from, but good enough to drink on its own |
how do i "sweat" a veggie? is it like steaming?
ReplyDeleteto "sweat" finely chopped onion, for example, means to saute it in butter or oil until it becomes transluscent - without coloring it...basically to kick start its flavors before adding any other ingredient
ReplyDelete