Best 4 Couscousiere Pot Recipes

AUTHENTIC TUNISIAN COUSCOUS AU POULET

Steps:

• Pour couscous in large bowl and cover with water. Water will be absorbed. Set aside.
• In the pot part of the couscousiere, pour a generous amount of olive oil, maybe 1/2 inches deep, and the chopped onion. Add a little salt and sauté until onion is translucent. Add the chicken, with more salt, and brown until not pink but not overcooked. If the temperature gets too hot, add warm water to cover and continue to cook. Now add your dry spices including about 1/2 teaspoons salt and generous sprinkling of pepper. Before adding the saffron, dilute in hot water. Mix thoroughly and bring to a covered boil. Add all of tomato paste and mix thoroughly, then adding carrots, turnip and green peppers. Mix thoroughly, adding enough water to cover vegetables.
• Go back to your couscous and add about a 1/2 cup of water to wet more.
• Last, add your potatoes and give the stew a good stir making sure nothing is stuck to the bottom of the pot.
• Place the "steamer" part of the couscousiere atop the stew pot. Pour your wetted couscous; don't worry--it won't fall through the holes! Spread evenly. I like to make a little opening so steam can escape through a hole or two. Now put the lid on the top and turn down the heat to a simmer. Note: when stirring occasionally, have a plate ready to put the steamer part on while you stir the stew. Be sure to wear oven mitts because the steam can easily burn.
• By the time you put the top on, it takes about 20-30 minutes to cook. Your couscous will become very fluffy. If it looks too dry, pour some hot water over. Make sure your carrots are done before turning off, but be sure to turn off before your potatoes turn to mush. Just before removing, add your harissa and drained chick peas and mix thoroughly. (Some people ladle out some broth and add more harissa as an optional topping for those who like it extra hot!).
• Taste test for salt at the end. It should be slightly on the salty side to compensate for the bland couscous.
• Remove the couscous and pour into a large bowl. Stick a fork in your butter stick and coat thoroughly. The ladle out some broth and coat thoroughly for very wet consistency.
• Option #1 Place couscous in large bowl or platter and make a well in the center for a mixture of chicken and vegetables.
• Option #2 Mix chicken pieces and vegetables throughout the couscous.
• Option #3 Place the couscous and stew portions in a separate bowls for assembly at the table.
• Because of the amount of water you need to cover everything, you'll no doubt end up with more broth than needed. Once cool, freeze in freezer bags and it makes an ideal sauce for a quick pasta meal (just be sure to coat with butter first; it's a crucial step to make the sauce stick).
• Couscous is an extremely versatile dish inasmuch as it can be made with beef, lamb, fish or even spicy sausage (merguez) or even a combination!
• Note: if time is a factor, the stew portion can be made ahead of time and then simply reheated to add the couscous steamer on top.

STEAMED COUSCOUS, THE AUTHENTIC WAY

Steps:

• Set couscous in a bowl and pour 2 quarts water over it. Swish around and drain water off. Spread couscous grain in a baking pan and leave them to swell for 10 minutes. Rub couscous between your wet hands to break up lumps. Let stand another 10 minutes.
• Combine the broth, water cinnamon stick, ginger and cumin in the bottom of a couscousiere. Secure the top of the couscousiere to the bottom with a dampened piece of cheesecloth, lightly dusted with flour and large enough to go around the rim of the top. When the liquid comes to a boil, slowly dribble 1/4 of the swollen couscous into steamer, forming them into a mound. Steam uncovered for 5 minutes, then add the remaining couscous. Steam over low heat, uncovered, for 20 minutes.
• Remove the top of the couscousiere (if the liquid in the bottom seems low, add some more water or broth) and dump the couscous into a large shallow pan and spread it out with a rubber spatula. Sprinkle 1/2 cup cold water and 1/2 teaspoon salt over the couscous. Break up lumps by lifting couscous and stirring the grains with a fork. Lightly oil your hands and rework grains, rubbing them through your fingertips, to keep them separate. Dry for 10 minutes. (Can do in advance up to this point and keep until the final steaming with a damp cloth over top).
• Return the dried couscous to the top of the couscousiere (resealing it with cheesecloth again) and dribble couscous in as before, in a soft mound. Steam uncovered for 20 minutes more. Serve with chick peas stew and garnish with sliced toasted almonds.

MOROCCAN COUSCOUS WITH MEAT AND VEGETABLES

Steps:

• Put broth in the couscousiere pot, add the onions, tomatoes, meat, parsley, olive oil, saffron, ginger and salt and pepper. Boil on medium high heat for 5 to 10 minutes. Put the keskes on top of the pot and add couscous slowly. Let the couscous steam for 1/2 hour.
• After steam starts coming up, take the couscous out of keskes and transfer into a large bowl (gsaa). Break up any clumping grains of couscous with wooden spoon, and cool for a few minutes. Sprinkle 1/2 cup to 3/4 cup cold water on the couscous while it is in the bowl, to make the grains larger and soft. Return to heat and steam for another 30 minutes. Remove the couscous from the pot and transfer to the large bowl. Again, break up any clumps and sprinkle with 1/2 cup to 3/4 cup of water. Remove the meat from the couscousiere, cover and set aside. Add vegetables to the couscousiere and return the couscous to the keske and place in the couscousiere. Cook the vegetables and the couscous for 30 to 45 minutes on medium high heat. After the vegetables and couscous are all fully cooked, remove the couscousiere from heat. Return the couscous to a large bowl and add butter. Place the couscous on a platter, forming a hole in the middle of the couscous. Place meat in the hole and top with vegetables. Put sauce around sides of the platter. Serve guests additional sauce in small bowls.

BRAHIM'S DESERT COUSCOUS

Steps:

• Start by sautéeing the meat, onions, tomatoes in 1 tablespoon of the oil for a couple minutes over a high heat.
• Grind in some salt and lots of black pepper.
• Meanwhile, heat up some water in a kettle and after a couple minutes add in the parsley and all the vegetables except the courgettes plus enough hot water to cover everything.
• Cover the pot and cook over a high heat.
• Next, put the couscous in a large bowl and pour over 1/4 cup water.
• Rub the grains together by using both your hands and moving them back and forth, palms together, with the couscous between your palms. You make the same form with your hand as if you were praying. Rub until the couscous is no longer clumpy and all the water has been absorbed.
• Spread the couscous evenly in the top of your couscousiere.
• If you do not have a couscousiere, you can fashion one out of a colander and some cheesecloth. All you need is something to steam the couscous.
• The two most crucial things are that the colander sits high enough in the pot that the water below will not come in contact with the couscous and also that you have a tight seal between the top and bottom so the steam is forced through the couscous.
• If you are making your own steamer, a cloth wrapped around the pot may help form a tight seal. If you do not have this, the couscous will take longer to cook properly because it won't get the same volume of steam going through it.
• Wait a couple minutes for the steam to start rising through the couscous and then cover and cook for 10 minutes.
• Take the couscous out and empty into the bowl.
• Add another 1/4 cup water and some salt, then oil your hands with some of the remaining olive oil and rework the couscous the same way you did the first time.
• It can be very hot so you may have to stir the couscous a few times until you are able to handle it.
• All the while, the stew is continuing to cook.
• Place the couscous back in the steamer and cover for another 10 minutes.
• Repeat this process twice or more if necessary, until the couscous is light and fluffy.
• Add the courgettes during the last 10 minute cooking.
• When ready, take out the parsley from the stew.
• Pile the couscous in a bowl and arrange the meat and vegetables around the sides and on top.
• Drizzle 3-4 spoonfuls of the cooking liquid over the couscous.
• If you want hot sauce, water it down as well into a runny consistency with the cooking broth and set out separately for people to add as desired.
• Eat with your hands if you want to be Moroccan, with no one touching the meat until the guest has first reached for theirs, or go Western and spoon it out onto plates.