Fruity Couscous Spiced Quail Recipes

MOROCCAN SPICED VEGETABLE COUSCOUS

Steps:

• In a medium-size skillet heat the oil over medium heat.
• Add red onion, yellow pepper, and carrot sauté 10-15 minutes or until brown and all the vegetables are your desired tenderness
• Add the garlic, sauté another minute.
• Mix in the salt & pepper, paprika, ground coriander, turmeric, celery salt, cumin ground cinnamon, and cayenne pepper (if using). Stir-fry until fragrant (about a minute).
• Add the frozen peas and cook briefly. Stir in the piquante peppers and chickpeas. Followed by the stock, scraping any brown bits from the bottom of the pan.
• Add the chopped parsley and stir in the couscous. Remove from heat and let stand 5 minutes or until liquid is absorbed. Fluff and serve.

MOROCCAN COUSCOUS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spread the pine nuts in a single layer on an ungreased, rimmed baking sheet. Toast in the oven until fragrant and lightly golden, 5 to 7 minutes, stirring once halfway through. Keep an eye on them and DO NOT WALK AWAY during the last few minutes to make sure those precious pine nuts do not burn. Immediately transfer them to a bowl to stop their cooking and to make sure the hot pan doesn't burn them once they are out of the oven.
• In a large skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the shallots and cook for 3 minutes, until they begin to soften. Add the salt, pepper, and cumin and cook for 30 seconds.
• Pour in the broth. Increase the heat to high and bring it to a boil. As soon as the liquid begins to boil, remove the pan from the heat. Stir in the couscous, cover, and let sit for 10 minutes.
• With a fork, fluff up the couscous. Add the raisins, parsley, lemon juice, olive oil, and toasted pine nuts to the pot, then stir the ingredients together to combine. Taste and adjust seasoning as desired. Enjoy hot.

CHEAT'S EASY SPICED COUSCOUS WITH FRUIT AND NUTS - IN A JAR!

Steps:

• Mix all the dry ingredients together.
• (The amounts can be doubled or even quadrupled for long term storage of up to 6 -9 months.).
• When you are ready to prepare the couscous, measure out the correct serving of dry ingredients into a large bowl, preferably the one you will be serving it from. The dry & wet combination is given above in the ingredients.
• Add the olive oil or butter & mix thoroughly.
• Add the boiling stock and mix thoroughly - place a clean tea towel over the top of the bowl and leave for 5 minutes.
• Fluff up the couscous after 5 minutes & add more liquid if needed.
• Add a knob of butter or a teaspoon of live oil - mix & sprinkle with freshly chopped coriander - cilantro before serving.
• You could also add more nuts or fruit as a garnish if you wish.
• This is a basic recipe - all kinds of dried fruit and nuts can be used such as: almonds, cashew nuts, dried cherries or cranberries, dried banana or coconut. It will depend on what you will be serving it with!

FRUITY COUSCOUS

Steps:

• Heat butter in skillet; break clumps of couscous with your fingers. Add couscous to skillet with raisins, rum, and sugar saute for a couple of minutes to heat through; season to taste with salt and pepper. Remove from heat and stir in nuts. Top kebabs and couscous with yogurt.

SWEET COUSCOUS WITH NUTS AND DRIED FRUIT

Steps:

• In a medium saucepan, combine the water, sugar, cranberries, apricots, and cherries. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring constantly, until the sugar has dissolved, about 2 minutes. Stir in the couscous and remove the pan from the heat. Cover the pan with a tight fitting lid until the couscous has absorbed all of the cooking liquid, about 5 to 7 minutes.
• Using a fork, fluff the couscous to break up any lumps. Add the almonds and hazelnuts and toss. Spread the mixture evenly on a baking sheet until completely cooled, about 10 minutes.
• Transfer the couscous to an airtight container and store in the refrigerator.
• Serving Suggestion: Drizzle the couscous with 1/4 cup of extra-virgin olive oil for a moister texture.

GRILLED CHICKEN COUSCOUS WITH APRICOTS AND PISTACHIO

Steps:

• For the couscous: Put 1 1/2 cups water, the salt, cumin and pepper in a small saucepan over high heat and bring to a boil. Stir in the couscous, remove from the heat, cover and let sit until the water is absorbed and the couscous is tender, about 5 minutes.
• Transfer the couscous to a bowl, fluff with a fork and add the pistachios, mint, parsley and lime zest to taste. Set aside.
• For the apricot-balsamic glaze: Put the vinegar in a small saucepan and cook over medium-high heat until reduced to 1/2 cup. Whisk in the apricot jam and let cool slightly.
• For the chicken and apricots: Heat a charcoal or gas grill to high for direct grilling.
• Brush the chicken and apricots with oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Grill the chicken until golden brown and slightly charred on both sides and just cooked through, about 9 minutes total. Let rest for 5 minutes before slicing.
• Grill the apricots cut-side down until golden brown and slightly charred; turn over and grill until just heated through. Slice into wedges.
• Transfer the couscous to a plate and arrange the chicken and apricots on top. Drizzle with the apricot-balsamic glaze.

MIDDLE EASTERN COUSCOUS WITH DRIED FRUIT

Steps:

• In a medium saucepan, heat the oil. Add the raisins, garlic, cinnamon, cumin, and coriander. Cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add the couscous to the saucepan, along with the 2 cups of boiling water and the salt. Stir once with a fork, cover tightly, and remove from the heat. Let stand, covered, for 5 minutes. Stir with a fork before serving to fluff the couscous and combine the other ingredients. (This recipe can be made up to a day ahead and reheated over very low heat or in a microwave oven.)

FRUITY COUSCOUS & SPICED QUAIL

Steps:

• In a small saucepan, heat the orange juice and apricots until it boils. Remove from heat and take out 2 tbsp of juice for the dressing. Pour couscous into a bowl and pour the juice and apricot mix over, cover and let sit for 5 mins. In a bowl, mix the sliced onions in 1 tbsp of the vinegar and set aside. Fluff up the couscous with a fork until the lumps are broken up. Add the herbs and pine nuts.
• Heat a barbecue or grill until very hot. Rub the quail with some oil. Season well, sprinkle over the cinnamon and drizzle with a little of the honey. Barbecue or grill the quail for 3-4 mins each side until crisp at the edges. Mix remaining olive oil with reserved orange juice, vinegar and honey. Season and mix well. Drain onions and toss into couscous. Serve the quail on the couscous with dressing poured over, scattered with mint leaves.

SEASONED COUSCOUS

Steps:

• In a large saucepan, combine the first eight ingredients; bring to a boil. Remove from the heat; stir in couscous. Cover and let stand for 5 minutes or until the liquid is absorbed. Fluff with a fork.

COUSCOUS WITH MOROCCAN SPICES

Steps:

• Heat olive oil in a non stick pan and cook the chopped onion and garlic in it till the onion is soft and translucent.
• Stir in the cumin, turmeric, cinnamon, coriander, cayenne and paprika.
• Continue stirring over medium heat for 2-3 minutes, then add vegetable broth, tomato puree and currants.
• Simmer the sauce for 10 minutes.
• Remove the sauce from heat and stir in fresh lemon (or lime) juice to your taste.
• If not using immediately and planning to reheat before serving, wait to add citrus juice at the last minute.
• To cook the couscous, heat the broth, water, butter and salt together in a medium skillet till the liquid boils.
• Reduce to a simmer, add the couscous, cover the skillet tightly and leave on the lowest heat for 5 minutes.
• Remove the pan from the heat an leave it covered for another couple of minutes before fluffing with a fork.
• (If using instant couscous, check package directions - you may not need to keep it on heat after boiling, but just cover and wait till liquid is absorbed - just see if liquid amounts match what is mentioned on the package).