Couscous Recipe with Seasonal Variations
Author:
Thomas Sixt is a chef, food photographer and cookbook author.
Here he shares recipes, answers cooking questions and helps with cooking.
Today I’ll show you my Couscous Recipe.
Couscous has become very popular in recent years.
In this article I give you a great overview of couscous preparation.
It is not just a recipe but a bunch of ideas that will show you how to prepare couscous in many different ways.
My tip at the beginning:
If you prefer a gluten-free preparation, then you can exchange the couscous for quinoa.
Here are my instructions with variations and tips.
Wish you good luck!
Table of Contents
1. Recipe Couscous
I developed this recipe for my first cookbook:
“Der Minutenkoch schmeckt.schneller.”
It was about a fast variant, which has a certain taste kick:
Here it is the caramelized carrots, which I used instead of dates or raisins.
I wish you every success!
Couscous
Cooked, photographed and written down by chef Thomas Sixt.
Simple guide for preparing couscous in seasonal variations.
Preparation Time
5 Min.
Cook Time
10 Min.
Ingredients
|
Couscous Preparation |
||
| 2 | pc | shallots |
| 40 | g | butter |
| 1 | pc | Bay leaf |
| 1 | pc | allspice grains |
| 1/2 | pc | clove of garlic |
| 0,5 | l | Vegetable broth |
| 250 | g | Couscous |
| Salt | ||
| black pepper | ||
|
Additions to the Couscous |
||
| 30 | g | fennel |
| 10 | g | oliv oil |
| 1 | pc | carrots |
| 40 | g | butter |
| 10 | g | Sugar |
| 10 | pc | olives, green and black mixed |
| 1 | pinch | Cayenne pepper |
|
Couscous Salad Dressing |
||
| 80 | ml | lemon juice |
| 40 | ml | orange juice |
| 1 | tsp | honey |
| 70 | ml | Olive oil |
| 1 | bunch | Parsley |
|
Couscous Decoration and Additional |
||
| 1/4 | pc | cucumber |
| 4 | pc | Physalis |
| 2 | tbs | chili sauce |
Instruction
Prepare Couscous
Sweat finely diced shallots with butter, bay leaf, allspice and garlic in a pot for 15 minutes at medium heat until translucent.
Then add the vegetable stock, bring to the boil, cook the couscous at low heat with lid as desired until soft/bite firm.
Remove the bay leaf, allspice and garlic, place the couscous in a bowl and season with salt and pepper.
Prepare Fennel
Cut the fennel into cubes or small pieces and fry in a pan with olive oil, season with salt and pepper and prepare.
Prepare carrots
Peel carrots, cut into small slices and sauté in butter.
Add some water and cook until al dente.
Then caramelise the carrots with sugar and make ready.
Prepare olives
Halve the olives or add them whole to the couscous.
Prepare Dressing
Mix lemon juice and orange juice with honey, salt and pepper, stir in olive oil slowly and prepare an emulsified salad dressing.
Cut the parsley finely into strips and add to the dressing.
Marinate the couscous with the dressing and serve.
Serve
Serve fried fennel and caramelized carrots with couscous.
Serve with cucumber slices and physalis, chilli dip and serve quickly.
Cousine
Keyword
2. Nutritional Values
3. Couscous Recipe Ideas
I find a clear collection of ideas for the beginning a good thing.
In the future I will supplement this list and create individual recipes in addition to the following descriptions.
3.1 Couscous with Parsley and Lemon Juice
Short description:
Cook the couscous, season with salt, pepper and cayenne pepper, sugar and lemon juice.
Mix the couscous with finely chopped parsley and serve.
It fits with:
A hot chili paste, dates, figs, oranges, and humus.
The couscous is an excellent accompaniment to grilled meat and fish.
Occasions: Summer party, barbecue party.
3.2 Couscous with Fennel, Zucchini, Tomatoes, Roasted Almonds and Raisins
Short description:
Cook the couscous, season with salt, pepper and cayenne pepper, white wine vinegar, agave syrup and olive oil.
Mix and serve the couscous with fried fennel slices, pieces of courgette, caramelized tomatoes, roasted almonds, raisins and freshly chopped mint.
It fits with: White truffle oil, basil pesto, bear’s garlic pesto, chilli sauce.
The couscous is a wonderful vegan main course and goes well with meat, fish, shrimps and seafood.
Occasions: Summer party, barbecue party, dinner, vegan meal.
3.3 Couscous with Strawberries and green Asparagus
Short description:
Cook the couscous, season with salt, pepper and cayenne pepper, lemon juice and a little white wine vinegar, honey and olive oil.
Serve the couscous with asparagus pieces cooked until al dente and halved, caramelized strawberries.
Parsley or mint goes well with this season’s combination.
It fits with:
You can serve this couscous dish as a vegetarian or vegan main course.
You can serve this dish with poached fish such as halibut or plaice rolls as well as fried salmon or prawns.
Occasions: Asparagus season, strawberry season, barbecue, dinner, vegan food.
3.4 Couscous wit Tomatoes and Avocado
Short description:
Cook the couscous, season with salt, pepper and cayenne pepper, lemon juice, sugar and olive oil.
Refine the couscous with caramelized cocktail tomatoes or tomato cubes and avocado pieces.
Fresh herbs such as mint, marjoram, parsley, lovage, chervil go well with this couscous.
It fits with:
Serve this couscous salad as a vegetarian or vegan main course. You can serve this dish with fried salmon, fried gilthead, fried sea bass or fried and flambéed prawns and a beef steak.
Occasions: Summer dish, barbecue and BBQ, dinner, vegan main course.
4. Tips for Cooking Couscous Simply
Here are my instructions for cooking couscous easily…
- For 150 g couscous use about 350 ml vegetable broth or salt water (liquid).
- Bring the liquid to the boil.
- Wash the couscous on a sieve under running hot water.
- Add the couscous to the boiling liquid and bring to the boil, then cook at moderate heat with lid until soft.
- Sieve off the couscous, mix with butter or some olive oil and continue processing.
You can also add anise, bay leaf, clove, nutmeg or a Ras el-Hanout spice mixture to the broth/salted water.
With couscous, I have seen that less is more in terms of spices!
I always cook the broth first, remove the spices (or just gently season with Ras el-Hanout), then cook the couscous in the broth in a controlled manner.
5. Couscous and Antipasti Vegetable as well as Feta Cheese
A very simple variation that I have not mentioned above is to combine the couscous with antipasti vegetables.
Cook the couscous neutrally in broth, combine olives, artichokes from the jar, dried tomatoes from the jar and other pickled Italian vegetables that you like to eat.
This couscous can be gently seasoned with lemon juice and sugar, because the pickled vegetables already have some acidity.
Add basil to this couscous salad and if you like the idea of a combination with sheep’s cheese, then serve the sheep’s cheese extra, pickled in olive oil with herbs.
With this variant you let your guests have a little more fun at the table and the cheese can be added as desired.
6. More Recipe Ideas
Comments, Cooking Questions and Answers
Below you can write to me directly.
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