Saffron Couscous With Prunes And Toasted Almonds Recipes

COUSCOUS WITH PRUNES AND TOASTED ALMONDS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Place almonds on a baking sheet and toast for 10 minutes until golden brown (break open to check). Let cool.
• Combine almonds with couscous, prunes, clarified butter, lemon juice, chives, and cinnamon; season with salt.

COUS COUS WITH GARBANZO BEANS, PRUNES AND ALMONDS

Steps:

• Heat oil in heavy large pot over medium-high heat. Add onions and sauté until very tender and beginning to brown, about 25 minutes. Add garbanzo beans and prunes and stir 1 minute. Add broth and cinnamon and bring to boil. Mix in couscous. Cover pot; remove from heat. Let stand 15 minutes.
• Using fork, fluff couscous. Mix in mint and half of almonds. Season with salt and pepper. Mound couscous in bowl. Sprinkle with remaining almonds.

SPICED PRUNES

Steps:

• Place prunes in a medium bowl; set aside.
• Place vinegar, sugar, brandy, cinnamon, peppercorns, allspice, and bay leaf in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring to dissolve sugar. Pour over prunes and let cool to room temperature.
• Transfer prunes to an airtight container and cover; let stand at room temperature for at least one week before using. Prunes can be stored at room temperature for up to 6 months.

SAFFRON COUSCOUS WITH PRUNES AND TOASTED ALMONDS

Steps:

• In a medium saucepan, combine broth and the saffron. Bring to a boil and continue boiling for 1 minute. Remove from heat, let stand 2 to 3 minutes. Meanwhile, place couscous and diced dried plums in a large heat-proof bowl. Pour the boiling broth over the bowl, cover tightly with plastic wrap, and let sit for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork, fold in the almonds, season to taste with salt. Serve immediately. Note: To toast nuts, spread on baking sheet and bake in 350-degree oven for 5 to 8 minutes or until they start to brown.

SAFFRON COUSCOUS

Steps:

• Combine warm water and saffron together in a bowl.
• Mix couscous and vegetable broth together in a saucepan; bring to a boil. Remove saucepan from heat, cover saucepan, and let sit for 5 minutes. Fluff couscous with a fork and transfer to a bowl.
• Stir saffron mixture, celery, currants, olive oil, lemon juice, harissa, cumin, and sea salt into couscous. Refrigerate until chilled, at least 30 minutes.

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.

COUSCOUS WITH SAUTéED ALMONDS AND CURRANTS

Steps:

• In a medium bowl, combine the couscous, broth, paprika, cumin, turmeric, salt, and pepper, cover tightly with plastic wrap, and let rest for 5 minutes. Uncover and fluff with a fork.
• While the couscous is resting, heat the oil in a small skillet over medium heat. Add the almonds and cook, stirring, until fragrant and lightly golden, 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer almonds and oil to a small bowl. Transfer fluffed couscous into a serving bowl and top with currants and the toasted almonds along with their oil.

CLARIFIED BUTTER FOR COUSCOUS WITH PRUNES AND TOASTED ALMONDS

Steps:

• Melt butter in heatproof bowl set over (but not touching) simmering water. Skim off foam from top. Refrigerate butter to solidify. Make two holes in the top of butter and drain off liquid. Alternatively, strain butter through a fine mesh strainer lined with cheesecloth. Discard any milky liquid remaining in bottom of pan.