Couscous Cakes 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.

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!