Pistachio Currant Couscous Recipes

COUSCOUS WITH PISTACHIOS

Steps:

• In a medium saucepan with a lid, heat oil over medium. Add white part of scallion; season with salt and pepper, and cook until soft, 1 minute.
• Add 1 cup water; bring to a boil. Add couscous, remove from heat, cover, and let stand for at least 5 minutes. Add pistachios and remaining scallion. Season with salt and pepper; fluff with a fork, and serve.

COUSCOUS WITH PISTACHIOS, SCALLIONS AND CURRANTS

Steps:

• In a small bowl, cover currants with hot water. Let sit and plump for 15 minutes. In a saucepan heat the chicken broth and butter to a boil. Stir in the couscous. Remove from the heat and let stand, covered, for 5 to 10 minutes. Meanwhile, make the dressing: whisk together the lemon juice, cinnamon and olive oil. When the couscous is done, transfer it to a bowl and break up the lumps with a fork. Drain currants and add to the couscous. Stir in the scallions, pistachios and parsley. Toss the couscous with the dressing and serve.

COUSCOUS WITH DRIED APRICOTS, CURRANTS, AND PISTACHIOS

Steps:

• In each of two 3-quart saucepans bring half of water, oil, cinnamon, cumin, salt, and apricots to a boil. Stir 1 box couscous into each pan and let stand, covered, off heat 5 minutes. Fluff couscous with a fork and transfer to 2 shallow baking pans to cool as quickly as possible. Cool couscous completely and with your fingers break up any large lumps. Couscous may be made 1 day ahead and chilled, covered. Bring couscous to room temperature before proceeding.
• Fluff couscous with fork again and stir in currants, pistachios, mint, and salt and pepper to taste.

COUSCOUS TIMBALES WITH PISTACHIOS, SCALLIONS, AND CURRANTS

Steps:

• In a saucepan combine the butter and the broth, bring the liquid to a boil, and stir in the couscous. Remove the pan from the heat, let the mixture stand, covered, for 5 minutes, and transfer it to a bowl. Break up any lumps with a fork and stir in the currants, the scallion, the pistachios, the parsley, and salt and pepper to taste. In a small bowl whisk together the lemon juice, the cinnamon, and the oil. Toss the couscous mixture with the dressing and season it with salt and pepper. Pack the mixture into two 3/4-cup timbales and unmold the timbales onto 2 plates.

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.

CURRANT-GLAZED LAMB CHOPS WITH PISTACHIO COUSCOUS

Steps:

• Bring 1 1/4 cups broth, 2 teaspoons oil and 1/8 teaspoons salt to a boil in a medium saucepan. Stir in couscous; cover. Remove the pan from heat.
• Combine remaining 2 teaspoons olive oil, remaining 3/8 teaspoons salt, rosemary, garlic powder and pepper in a bowl. Rub paste evenly on both sides of chops. Heat a skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add lamb; cook for 6 minutes or until desired degree of doneness, turning once. Remove from pan, and keep warm.
• Add remaining 1/4 cup broth, jelly, vinegar and mustard. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer for 90 seconds or until slightly syrupy.
• Fluff couscous with a fork; stir in pistachios and sprinkle with mint. Spoon sauce over lamb. Garnish with rosemary leaves, if desired.

PISTACHIO COUSCOUS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• On a baking sheet in middle of oven toast pistachios in one layer until golden, about 10 minutes. Once pistachios have cooled, coarsely chop.
• In each of two 3-quart saucepans bring 2 1/4 cups water and 1/2 teaspoon salt to a boil. Stir 1 box couscous into each pan and let stand, covered, off heat 5 minutes.
• Chop mint leaves. Fluff couscous with a fork and transfer to a bowl. Stir in pistachios, mint, oil, and lemon juice and season with salt and pepper.

COUSCOUS CROWNS WITH PISTACHIOS, SCALLIONS, AND CURRANTS

Steps:

• In a saucepan combine the butter and the broth, bring the liquid to a boil, and stir in the couscous.
• Remove the pan from the heat, let the mixture stand, covered, for 5 minutes, and transfer it to a bowl.
• Break up any lumps with a fork and stir in the currants, the scallion, the pistachios, the parsley, and salt and pepper to taste.
• In a small bowl whisk together the lemon juice, the cinnamon, and the oil.
• Toss the couscous mixture with the dressing and season it with salt and pepper.
• Pack the mixture into four 3/4-cup timbales (or mold of your choice- I use ramekin or other serving size dish) and unmold the timbales/mold onto 4 plates.