Herbed Couscous Cakes With Cheese Recipes

HERBY COUSCOUS

Steps:

• In a medium saucepan, bring 2 1/2 cups water, the butter and 1 teaspoon salt to a boil over medium-high heat. Once the water is boiling, add the couscous. Return the water to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low and cook, uncovered, for 8 minutes. Turn off the heat, cover the saucepan and let sit for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork.
• Add the basil, chives, parsley, olive oil, dill, lemon zest and juice to a large bowl. Add the cooked couscous and toss to combine. Season with salt and pepper, toss to combine.

HERBED COUSCOUS

Steps:

• heat up one tbsp of the olive oil in a small sauce pan over medium to high heat
• sautée onion until transparent, about 2-3 mins
• add garlic and sautée until frangrant, about 1 minute
• add dry couscous and stir
• add salt, stir
• add water* thyme and bay leaf
• bring it to a boil then reduce to a slow simmer
• cover and let it simmer until all the water has been absorbed (about 10 mins)
• after all liquid has been absorbed, remove the thyme sprig and the bay leaf and discard
• add remaining tbsp of olive oil, the parsley and the lemon zest, stir to combine

INSTANT POT® HERBED ISRAELI COUSCOUS

Steps:

• Turn on a multi-functional pressure cooker (such as Instant Pot®) and select Saute function. Melt butter in the pot. Add chicken broth and couscous. Stir. Cancel Saute mode.
• Select high pressure according to manufacturer's instructions; set timer for 5 minutes. Allow 10 to 15 minutes for pressure to build.
• Release pressure carefully using the quick-release method according to manufacturer's instructions, about 5 minutes. Unlock and remove the lid. Fluff couscous with a fork.
• Pour olive oil over the couscous. Sprinkle the Greek seasoning over the top. Mix to combine. Add basil, parsley, and rosemary; toss to disperse throughout.

HERBED COUSCOUS CAKES WITH CHEESE

Steps:

• In a large mixing bowl, using your hands, mix the couscous, eggs, parsley, onions, basil, cheese, lemon zest, and salt and pepper.
• Sprinkle the mixture with the flour and mix again.
• Form the cakes to the size you want, I made cakes about 2" round.
• Heat the olive oil in a skillet and fry the cakes until golden brown, about 2-3 minutes on the first side and 2 minutes on the other side.
• Remove from the pan and let them drain on paper towels to remove some of the oil before plating up.
• Salt and pepper again to taste.

HERBED COUSCOUS

Steps:

• Bring water, 1 tablespoon salt, and butter to a boil. Add couscous, remove from heat and stir quickly and thoroughly. Cover for 5 minutes. Moisture will be absorbed. Fluff with a fork. Add scallions, Spanish onion and rice wine vinegar.

SPICED HERB & ALMOND COUSCOUS

Steps:

• Heat some oil in a roasting tray and then add the onions and fry for about 5 mins until just softened. While you're frying, add the saffron strands to the stock if using, so the flavour and colour infuses. (If you are making the Fragrant chicken too (see 'Goes well with') use the same pan to add flavour to this dish and leave the juices in there, but you can tip out some of the chicken fat if you like).
• Tip the chilli into the tray, fry for 1 min more, then take off the heat. Add the couscous and stock, then cover with cling film for 10 mins. Once the couscous has absorbed all the stock, quickly chop the coriander (if you chop it too soon it will start to wilt), then fork it through the couscous with the almonds, dates and lemon juice and serve straight away. To serve cold, leave to cool, then add the chopped coriander just before eating.

HERBED CHEESECAKE APPETIZER

Steps:

• In a small bowl, combine the crust ingredients. Press onto the bottom and 2 in. up the sides of a greased 9-in. springform pan. Place pan on a baking sheet. Bake at 325° for 15-20 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool on a wire rack., In a large bowl, beat cream cheese and flour until smooth. Add eggs; beat on low speed just until combined. Stir in the Parmesan cheese, parsley, onion, pepperoni, lemon juice, herbs, garlic, salt and pepper sauce. Pour into crust., Bake at 325° for 45-55 minutes or until center is almost set. Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Carefully run a knife around edge of pan to loosen; cool l hour longer. Refrigerate overnight. Serve with crackers.

GIANT COUSCOUS CAKE WITH ROASTED PEPPER SAUCE

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit/220 degrees Celsius.
• Prepare the pepper sauce: Add the bell peppers and tomato to a baking sheet (tray) and toss with 1 tablespoon oil, 1/4 teaspoon salt and a good grind of pepper. Drizzle the garlic heads with a little oil, wrap tightly in foil and place them to one side of the baking sheet. Roast for 35 minutes or until the pepper skins are well charred and the garlic has softened.
• When cool enough to handle, peel and discard the pepper and tomato skins. (Don't worry if you can't remove all the skin.) Add the peeled vegetables to a food processor. Squeeze the garlic cloves out of their papery skins (discarding the skins) and add them to the blender along with the vinegar, maple syrup, 1/4 teaspoon salt and a good grind of pepper. Blitz for a few seconds, then, with the machine running, slowly drizzle in the remaining 3 tablespoons oil until incorporated and the sauce is smooth. Set aside pepper sauce.
• Meanwhile, prepare the couscous cake: Add the couscous, 1/2 teaspoon salt and boiling water to a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring to a simmer, then cover with a lid and turn the heat to medium-low. Cook for 10 minutes, then set aside to cool.
• Place a large nonstick skillet over high heat. Toss the scallions (spring onions) with 1/2 tablespoon oil, then add to the pan and fry until softened and charred, turning halfway through, about 4 minutes. Set the scallions aside.
• Turn the heat down to medium-high, then add another 1/2 tablespoon oil and the spinach to the pan. Cook until wilted, about 90 seconds, then transfer to a large bowl. Roughly chop the scallions and add two-thirds to the bowl with the spinach. Add the couscous, yogurt, both cheeses, flour, eggs, garlic, coriander, basil, 1/2 teaspoon salt and a good grind of pepper to the bowl and mix everything to combine.
• Wipe out the skillet and heat 5 tablespoons oil over medium-high. Once hot, add the couscous mixture, and use a spoon to evenly distribute and smooth out the top. Turn the heat down to medium-low and cook for 20 minutes; the edges will be golden, the cake will start to set in the center and you should be able to loosen the cake from the base.
• Use a spatula to gently separate the cake from the sides of the pan, running it under the cake as well to try to loosen it from the bottom. Remove the pan from the heat and, very gently, invert the whole thing onto a large plate. Return the pan to the heat and slide the cake back into it, crispy-side up, to brown the other side. Cook for 8 minutes over medium heat, then transfer the cake to a large wooden board or serving platter.
• In a small bowl, combine the remaining scallions with the extra basil leaves and the remaining 1 tablespoon oil. Sprinkle the cake all over with the extra pecorino and top with the scallion mixture. Serve with the pepper sauce in a bowl alongside.

HERBED COUSCOUS

Steps:

• In a medium saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Add garlic, scallion, a pinch of salt and a few grinds of black pepper. Saute until scallion softens, 2-4 minutes.
• Add couscous and cook, stirring often, until grains begin to brown and it smells nutty.
• Add broth. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, cover, and cook 1 minute, until couscous is tender but firm.
• Stir in parsley and serve.

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!

HERBED COUSCOUS

Steps:

• Bring the stock and oil to a boil, stir in the couscous, remove from heat, cover and set aside for five minutes.
• Fluff with a fork, fold in the parsley and chives, season to taste with salt and pepper and keep covered until ready to serve.