Herbed Couscous Cakes With Cheese Recipes

COUSCOUS CAKES

Steps:

• In a medium saucepan, salt 1 1/4 cups water and bring to a boil. Whisk in the couscous. Turn off the heat, cover and let stand for 5 minutes. Transfer the cooked couscous to a bowl and mix in the nuts, parsley and egg. Season with salt and pepper. With damp hands, form the couscous into 4 patties, about 1-inch thick (about the same thickness of your first thumb joint).
• Heat the oil in a 12-inch nonstick pan over moderate heat until hot but not smoking. Carefully place the couscous cakes in the pan and cook until golden, turning once, about 5 minutes per side. Remove from the heat and serve.
• BYOC: The thing I love about making cakes is I can really throw anything in there. Sticking with the Middle Eastern theme, dates would add a nice texture to these. Plus, you can break up leftovers in a pan for an alternative to fried rice. You can throw any herb in here - basil, thyme or oregano.

LEEK & CHEESE COUSCOUS CAKE

Steps:

• Pour 450mls (scant 2 cups) of boiling water over the couscous in a heatproof bowl.
• Cover and allow to stand until all the water is absorbed, about 15mins.
• Heat 1Tbsp of the oil in a frypan and cook the leeks until they are tender.
• Remove leeks from pan with a slotted spoon and then stir them into the couscous.
• Add the grated cheese and salt & pepper to taste. Stir to mix.
• Heat remaining oil in frypan and add mixture, pressing down to flatten to form a cake.
• Cook over a gentle heat heat until underside is crisp & golden (about 15mins).
• Slide out onto a plate then invert back into pan to cook other side for about another 5-8 minutes.
• Slide out of pan and cut into wedges to serve.

COUSCOUS CAKES

Steps:

• In a medium bowl, mix together the couscous, cilantro, egg, egg yolk, coriander, lemon zest, salt and pepper. Sprinkle the flour over the mixture. Mix until combined.
• In a large nonstick skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. Form 1/4 cupfuls of the mixture into 8 patties. Add 4 of the patties to the pan and cook for 3 to 4 minutes each side until golden. Drain on paper towels. Repeat with the remaining couscous mixture.
• Serve the couscous cakes with mango chutney.

RED PEPPER AND CHEESE COUSCOUS CAKE

Steps:

• Put the couscous into a large heatproof bowl. Stir together the vegetable broth, lime juice and a good grinding of black pepper, then pour over the couscous. Leave for 15 minutes until all the broth has been absorbed.
• Heat a splash of the olive oil in a 9in non-stick frying pan. Stir the red pepper strips, cheese, egg and chives into the couscous, then tip into the pan and pat down well into a cake.
• Cook over a gentle heat for 15 minutes, without touching, until the base is crisp and golden.
• Carefully slide the couscous cake on to a plate, then invert back into the pan, adding the rest of the oil if needed. Cook for a further 10 minutes or so until the other side is golden.
• Slide back on to the plate and cut into wedges to serve.

HALLOUMI AND COUSCOUS CAKES

Steps:

• Place the couscous, haloumi, lemon zest and parsley in a food processor and process for 1 minute or until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs; then shape 1/4 cups of the couscous mixture into round cakes.
• Heat a non-stick pan over a medium heat; add the oil; cook the cakes in batches for 2-3 minutes each side or until golden; transfer the finished cakes onto a plate lined with absorbent paper towelling, and keep warm while you cook the remaining cakes.
• SERVING SUGGESTION: Serve the haloumi and couscous cakes with baby spinach leaves and slices of smoked salmon with lemon slices. If you like a dressing on your salad, Donna Hay combines 2 tablespoons of white wine vinegar with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and tosses the smoked salmon slices and baby spinach leaves in the dressing to combine, and serves it with lemon wedges.
• NOTES: Suggested quantities - in the original recipe - for the side salad: 7 ounces (200g) smoked salmon slices, 21/2 (70g) ounces baby spinach leaves. On Donna Hay's website - http://www.donnahay.com.au/ - is a conversion table and a list of commonly used ingredients - and what they are generally called in Australia and America. In many cases, I think we actually use what she has said is the American name and in some cases, the recipes on Zaar use what she has said is the Australian name! Curious! But some of these "translations" of terms and names could well be useful!

HERBED COUSCOUS CAKES WITH CHEESE

Steps:

• In a large mixing bowl, using your hands, mix the couscous, eggs, parsley, onions, basil, cheese, lemon zest, and salt and pepper.
• Sprinkle the mixture with the flour and mix again.
• Form the cakes to the size you want, I made cakes about 2" round.
• Heat the olive oil in a skillet and fry the cakes until golden brown, about 2-3 minutes on the first side and 2 minutes on the other side.
• Remove from the pan and let them drain on paper towels to remove some of the oil before plating up.
• Salt and pepper again to taste.