Grilled Chicken Couscous With Apricots And Pistachio Recipes

APRICOT COUSCOUS

Steps:

• In a medium saucepan add a 2 count of extra-virgin olive oil. Add the red onion, apricots and almonds and saute gently over low heat until translucent and slightly fragrant. Add the couscous then dump in the warm chicken broth. Stir with a fork to combine, add lemon zest and cover. Let sit for 10 minutes, then uncover and add the scallions, mint, and cilantro. Fluff again with a fork. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper. Toss gently to combine.
• Serve family-style on a large platter and garnish with fresh cilantro.

YVONNE MAFFEI'S ROAST CHICKEN WITH COUSCOUS, DATES AND BUTTERED ALMONDS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 375 degrees. In a large ovenproof dish or pot with a tight lid, combine 2 tablespoons olive oil, the lemon juice, the ginger, the pepper and 1 teaspoon salt. Add the chicken and rub it around in the mixture until evenly coated. Turn chicken breast side down and roast, uncovered, for 50 minutes.
• Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine couscous, 2 cups water and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Set aside for 5 to 15 minutes to soak.
• In a small skillet, melt the butter. Add almonds and cook, stirring constantly, just until toasted and golden; adjust heat so almonds and butter do not scorch. Turn off heat and stir in dates.
• Add almond-date mixture to couscous, along with any butter left in pan, and mix, fluffing the grains with a fork. Mix in 2 tablespoons olive oil, the sugar, the cinnamon and the orange blossom water (if using).
• Drizzle or paint honey over top of chicken (leave chicken breast-side down in pot). Add couscous mixture to the pot, arranging it around the chicken. Cover tightly with a lid or foil and return to the oven for 30 minutes more.
• Remove from the oven. When cool enough to handle, remove chicken and carve into serving pieces. Stir and fluff couscous, scraping up any chicken skin stuck to bottom of pan, and place chicken pieces back on top of couscous. Sprinkle with chopped herbs and serve immediately.

ISRAELI COUSCOUS WITH PISTACHIOS AND APRICOTS

Steps:

• Preheat a large heavy bottomed skillet over medium-low heat.
• Place the garlic and oil in the pan and saute for 1 minute.
• Add the couscous, raise the heat to medium, and stir constantly for 4 minutes; the couscous should start to toast-- add the cinnamon stick, cumin, cardamom, pepper, and salt to toast a bit-KEEP stirring for another one to two minutes.
• Add broth and lime zest.
• Raise the heat and bring to a boil.
• Once the mixture is boiling, lower the heat again to as low as possible and cover.
• In about 10 minutes, most of broth should have been absorbed.
• Add 2 tablespoons of the mint, and the apricots, pistachios, and lime juice.
• Stir, cover again, and cook for 5 more minutes.
• At this point, the broth should be thoroughly absorbed.
• Remove the cinnamon stick, fluff the couscous with a fork, garnish with the remaining mint, and serve.

GRILLED CHICKEN COUSCOUS WITH APRICOTS AND PISTACHIO

Steps:

• For the couscous: Put 1 1/2 cups water, the salt, cumin and pepper in a small saucepan over high heat and bring to a boil. Stir in the couscous, remove from the heat, cover and let sit until the water is absorbed and the couscous is tender, about 5 minutes.
• Transfer the couscous to a bowl, fluff with a fork and add the pistachios, mint, parsley and lime zest to taste. Set aside.
• For the apricot-balsamic glaze: Put the vinegar in a small saucepan and cook over medium-high heat until reduced to 1/2 cup. Whisk in the apricot jam and let cool slightly.
• For the chicken and apricots: Heat a charcoal or gas grill to high for direct grilling.
• Brush the chicken and apricots with oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Grill the chicken until golden brown and slightly charred on both sides and just cooked through, about 9 minutes total. Let rest for 5 minutes before slicing.
• Grill the apricots cut-side down until golden brown and slightly charred; turn over and grill until just heated through. Slice into wedges.
• Transfer the couscous to a plate and arrange the chicken and apricots on top. Drizzle with the apricot-balsamic glaze.

OLIVE, APRICOT, AND PISTACHIO COUSCOUS

Steps:

• Bring water, salt, and butter to a boil in a small saucepan. Add apricots, olives, and couscous, swirling pan to submerge ingredients. Cover, and remove from heat, and let stand for 5 minutes. Stir with fork, then fold in pistachios and lemon juice. Serve immediately.