Cinnamon And Saffron Couscous With Squash Recipes

SAFFRON COUSCOUS

Steps:

• Combine warm water and saffron together in a bowl.
• Mix couscous and vegetable broth together in a saucepan; bring to a boil. Remove saucepan from heat, cover saucepan, and let sit for 5 minutes. Fluff couscous with a fork and transfer to a bowl.
• Stir saffron mixture, celery, currants, olive oil, lemon juice, harissa, cumin, and sea salt into couscous. Refrigerate until chilled, at least 30 minutes.

ISRAELI COUSCOUS WITH ROASTED BUTTERNUT SQUASH AND PRESERVED LEMON

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 475°F.
• Halve lemons and scoop out flesh, keeping both flesh and peel. Cut enough peel into 1/4-inch dice to measure 1/4 cup. Put lemon flesh in a sieve set over a bowl and press with back of a spoon to extract juice.
• Toss squash with 1 tablespoon oil and salt to taste in a large shallow baking pan and spread in 1 layer. Roast in upper third of oven 15 minutes, or until squash is just tender, and transfer to a large bowl.
• Cook onion in 1 tablespoon oil in a 10-inch heavy skillet over moderately high heat, stirring occasionally, until just beginning to turn golden. Add to squash.
• Cook couscous with cinnamon stick in a large pot of boiling salted water 10 minutes, or until just tender, and drain in a colander (do not rinse). Add couscous to vegetables and toss with 2 tablespoon oil to coat.
• Add lemon peel and juice, parsley, nuts, raisins, ground cinnamon, and salt to taste. Toss to mix well.
• To adapt this recipe to serve 50:
• 4 to 5 preserved lemons
• 5 lb. butternut squash, peeled and seeded
• 3/4 to 1 cup olive oil
• 3 cups chopped onion
• 7 cups Israeli couscous or acini di pepe (tiny peppercorn-shaped pasta), about 3 lb.
• 4 (3-inch) cinnamon sticks
• 3 cups chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 2 cups pine nuts, toasted
• 2 cups golden raisins
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• Preheat oven to 475°F.
• Halve lemons and scoop out flesh, keeping both flesh and peel. Cut enough peel into 1/4-inch dice to measure 1 cup. Put lemon flesh in a sieve set over a bowl and press with back of a spoon to extract juice.
• Cut enough squash into 1/4-inch dice to measure about 12 cups and toss with 1/3 cup oil and salt to taste. Roast in single layers in batches in your largest shallow baking pan in upper third of oven 15 minutes, or until just tender.
• Cook 1/2 of onion in 3 tablespoons oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over moderately high heat, stirring occasionally, until just beginning to turn golden. Add to squash. Repeat with remaining onion and more oil.
• Cook couscous with cinnamon sticks in an 8-qt. pot of boiling salted water 10 minutes, or until just tender, and drain in a colander (do not rinse). Toss couscous with 3 tablespoons oil in a large bowl. Add squash, onion, lemon peel and juice, and remaining ingredients. Season with salt (you'll need a lot) and toss to mix well.

SAFFRON ROASTED VEGETABLE COUSCOUS

Steps:

• SAFFRON ROASTED VEGETABLE COUSCOUS Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Place the vegetables in a medium baking dish, toss with the olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast for 8 to 10 minutes until vegetables are just cooked through. Bring vegetable stock, saffron and 1 teaspoon of salt to a boil in a medium saucepan, let boil for 5 minutes, until saffron blooms and colors the stock. Add the couscous, stir, cover and reduce heat to low. Cook until all liquid is absorbed, 8 to 10 minutes. Place couscous in a large bowl, add the roasted vegetables and parsley and season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve with salmon and ancho chile-ginger sauce. Garnish with diced red pepper and cilantro.;

MEDITERRANEAN CHICKEN AND SAFFRON COUSCOUS

Steps:

• Preheat a large skillet over medium-high heat with 2 tablespoons of the EVOO (twice around the pan). Place the flour in a shallow dish, season the chicken breasts with salt, pepper, and the cayenne, then transfer the seasoned chicken to the dish with the flour, toss around in the flour, then shake off the excess. Add the chicken to the skillet and cook for 5 to 6 minutes on each side. While the chicken is cooking, make the saffron couscous.
• In a sauce pot, bring 2 cups of the chicken stock up to a boil with the saffron, the crushed clove of garlic, salt, and pepper. When the stock is at a boil, add the couscous, cover with a lid, and turn the heat off. Let the couscous stand for 10 minutes.
• Once the chicken is done, remove it from the pan and cover with a piece of aluminum foil to keep warm. Return the skillet to the heat and add the remaining 2 tablespoons of EVOO. Add the onions, the 3 cloves of chopped garlic, the thyme, salt, and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, for 4 minutes. Add the artichokes and wine to the pan, bring up to a simmer, then add the remaining 1 cup of chicken stock, olives, and grape tomatoes. Return the liquids to a simmer and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, or until the grape tomatoes start to burst and the sauce has reduced by half. Give the sauce a taste to see if it needs more salt and pepper. Add the chicken back to the skillet and warm through. Add the parsley and basil to the completed dish and stir to distribute the herbs.
• To serve, fluff the couscous with a fork, remove and discard the crushed garlic clove, and transfer the couscous to serving plates. Serve the chicken whole or sliced on top of the saffron couscous. Top the chicken with some of the sauce and vegetables.