Rachael Rays Vegetable Couscous Recipes

RACHAEL RAY'S VEGETABLE COUSCOUS

Steps:

• Place a large saucepan over med-high heat; add in the first 5 ingredients; season with salt and pepper.
• Saute and stir frequently for 7-8 minutes.
• Add in pumpkin and broth; stir to combine.
• Add in cumin and coriander; bring broth to a boil.
• Stir in couscous; cover and remove from heat.
• Let stand 5 minutes, then remove lid and fluff couscous using a fork.
• Remove bay leaf and add in chopped tomato, cilantro, and parsley.
• Toss mixture and transfer to a serving platter.
• Serve with warm Mediterranean flat breads.

MIDDLE EASTERN CHICKEN POT AND BUTTER-NUT COUSCOUS

Steps:

• Heat the extra-virgin olive oil in a deep skillet over medium-high heat. When the oil ripples add the chicken and brown 3 to 4 minutes on each side. Add the onions, garlic, carrots, bay leaf and season with spices, salt and pepper, cook 5 to 6 minutes. Stir the fruits into the chicken and vegetables, add the zest of the lemon, olives and 2 1/2 cups of stock. Reduce heat to low and simmer 10 minutes more. Sprinkle with lemon juice and turn off heat. Remove bay leaf.
• While chicken simmers, melt butter in a sauce pot over medium heat. Add nuts and lightly toast for a couple of minutes. Add 1 1/2 cups stock and bring up to a boil then stir in couscous. Cover and let stand 5 minutes.
• Serve chicken over couscous, or vice versa, and garnish with parsley.

ORANGE AND ALMOND COUSCOUS

Steps:

• Toast nuts in the bottom of a medium saucepot over medium heat. Transfer toasted nuts to a dish and reserve. Return pot to the stove top. Add broth and oil, cover pot and raise heat; bring the broth to a boil. Remove pot from heat, immediately. Add couscous, orange zest and parsley, then stir. Cover and let couscous stand 5 minutes. Fluff cooked couscous with fork and toss with toasted almonds.
• TIDBIT: Slice zested oranges and serve them after dinner.

POACHED CHICKEN AND VEGETABLES WITH COUSCOUS

Steps:

• Season chicken breasts with salt and arrange in a deep, large skillet. Cover chicken with vegetables. Add bay leaf, thyme sprigs, and chicken stock to the pan. Place over high heat and bring to a boil, covered. Reduce heat to simmer and cook for 15 minutes. Remove bay and thyme sprigs. Remove the chicken breasts and cut into slices. Return chicken slices to the pan and adjust seasoning, to your taste. Put the couscous into a heatproof serving bowl. Ladle 1 1/2 cups of the hot cooking liquid over the couscous, cover and let stand for 5 minutes. Remove the lid, season the couscous with salt, and fluff with a fork. Put a scoop of couscous into a serving bowl, top with chicken chunks and vegetables. Cover meat and vegetables with some broth. Garnish each serving with chives and parsley.
• Refrigerate or freeze the whole breast pieces for Portuguese Chicken.

SESAME CRUSTED RED SNAPPER WITH GINGER DRESSED SNAPPY VEGGIES AND CURRY COUSCOUS WITH ALMONDS

Steps:

• In a salad bowl, combine the ginger, jalapeno, vinegar, salt and pepper. In a slow steady steam, whisk in 3 tablespoons of vegetable oil. Add the radish, cucumber, yellow pepper and toss to coat. Let the veggies sit and marinate at room temperature while you prepare the sesame crusted snapper.
• Place a medium saucepan on the stove. Add the sliced almonds and toast over moderate heat then remove from pan and reserve. Return pan to stove top and add the chicken broth, 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil -- just eyeball it, curry powder and cinnamon. Raise heat and bring broth up to a boil. When it boils, add couscous to the pot and stir to combine. Cover the pot and turn off the heat and let the couscous stand until ready to serve.
• With a sharp paring knife, score the skin side of the snapper fillets by slashing 3, 1/8- inch thick cuts across the width of the fish. Season both sides of the fish with salt and pepper. Sprinkle and then gently press the sesame seeds onto both sides of the fish. Heat a nonstick large skillet over medium-high heat with 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil, 2 turns of the pan. Once the pan is hot, add the seasoned fish to the skillet skin side down. Saute the snapper for 4 minutes and if you find that the fillets bubble up in the center section, carefully press each fillet down with a fish spatula. Flip the fillets and continue to cook on the second side for 3 minutes or until the fish is cooked through and opaque. While the fish is cooking on the second side, finish off the ginger dressed snappy veggies and prepare the couscous.
• To the marinating vegetables, add the watercress and basil. Toss to combine.
• Remove the lid on the couscous. Add scallions and toasted almonds and fluff couscous with a fork.
• To serve, distribute the snappy veggies between 4 plates and top with the sesame crusted snapper; serve the couscous alongside.