Couscous Paella Soup Recipes

NORTH AFRICAN COUSCOUS PAELLA

Steps:

• Heat oil in saucepan. Add the peppers, scallions, garlic, coriander, turmeric and cayenne. Saute over medium heat for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in the stock or water. Add the shrimp or tofu and cook for another 3 to 4 minutes, until the shrimp is pink. Stir in the peas and cook for another minute.
• Mix in the couscous and butter or margarine. Cover, remove from heat and let stand for 5 minutes.
• Uncover the pan, and using a fork, fluff up the couscous and break up any lumps.
• Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve on a platter, topped with toasted almonds, parsley and lemon wedges.

COUSCOUS PAELLA

Steps:

• In a large nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray, saute red pepper in oil for 2 minutes. Add onions and garlic; cook 1 minute longer. , Stir in broth and seasonings; bring to a boil. Add shrimp; cook for 2-3 minutes or just until shrimp turn pink. Return to a boil. Stir in the couscous, peas and butter. , Remove from the heat; cover and let stand for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork. Sprinkle with almonds and parsley. Serve with lemon.

COUSCOUS PAELLA WITH SHRIMP

Steps:

• Heal oil in a large heavy-bottom pot over medium-high heat. Add onion, garlic and peppers. Cook for 8 minutes, or until tender, stirring occasionally.
• Add salt, black pepper, thyme, red pepper flakes and turmeric. Stir in broth, 1 cup water and the peas. Bring to a simmer and add shrimp. Simmer, covered, for 2 minutes or until the shrimp is cooked through.
• Remove from heat; stir in couscous. Cover and let stand 5 minutes. To serve, fluff with fork and garnish with olives.

VEGETABLE COUSCOUS PAELLA

Steps:

• Heat oil in heavy large pot over medium-high heat. Add onion and chopped bell peppers; sauté until vegetables begin to soften, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and paprika and sauté 1 minute. Stir in broth and next 6 ingredients. Bring to simmer. Reduce heat to medium-low. Cover and cook 5 minutes to blend flavors. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
• Mix couscous into vegetable mixture. Cover and simmer 1 minute. Remove pot from heat. Let stand covered 5 minutes. Fluff couscous with fork. Let paella stand covered 5 minutes longer; fluff with fork again. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer to serving bowl. Arrange artichoke hearts, red bell pepper rings and lemon wedges atop paella. Sprinkle parsley over and serve.

TRADITIONAL NORTH AFRICAN COUSCOUS (THE REAL WAY!)

Steps:

• Finely chop the onion and mince the garlic & place it in a large heavy bottomed pan with the meat or chicken, ras el hanout & a little olive oil. Fry gently to seal the meat/chicken. I use my pressure cooker pr large cast iron casserole for this.
• Chop the carrot, parsnip and courgette into 6ths. Cut the potato into 1/4's and roughly chop the swede. Chop khourchef or celery into roughly same size as carrot. (Peel the carrots, potato, parsnip and swede).
• Add the vegetables to the meat along with 1L of water and turn up heat so they begin simmering. If using the chilli add it now, along with salt and pepper. If cooking in a regular pan then cook for 40 minutes like this. If using the pressure cooker as I do then 20 minutes will be enough.
• Add the tomatoes, chick peas and dried mint and 1/2L more water or enough to create a 'stew' consistency.
• Return to heat and cook in pan for further 30 minutes and if using pressure cooker then cook on med to high for a further 25 minutes.
• Take a 500g pack of medium couscous and pour into a gas'a if you have one. If not find the biggest bowl you have. Pick out any 'bits' and sprinkle water - about 50mls and a tsp of salt over the couscous and using your hand rub 1/2 tsp of oil through the couscous to stop it sticking. Fill a couscousier or steamer half full with the couscous (as it swells).
• When you 1st notice steam coming from the couscous, count 10 minutes. After that remove from the steamer, place in gas'a and use your hands to 'open' the couscous (rub it together between hands to remove clumps). This is very hot and you need to keep wetting you hand with cold water and sprinkling a little on the couscous.
• Return to steamer when thoroughly opened. Repeat process of steaming and opening twice more.
• Finally remove from steamer and place back in gas'a. Open for final time and rub a tbsp of ghee or smen into the couscous along with 2tsp of butter or margarine. Add salt to taste.
• Serve the couscous in the gas'a with sauce on top as traditional style or in tagine etc. Usually we place the meat/chicken in place - 1 for each guest and decorate the couscous with the veg before ladling some of the sauce over the top.
• If you used the chilli, put it on a plate and let people help themselves to it!