North African Chicken Couscous Food

TRADITIONAL NORTH AFRICAN COUSCOUS (THE REAL WAY!)

Steps:

• Finely chop the onion and mince the garlic & place it in a large heavy bottomed pan with the meat or chicken, ras el hanout & a little olive oil. Fry gently to seal the meat/chicken. I use my pressure cooker pr large cast iron casserole for this.
• Chop the carrot, parsnip and courgette into 6ths. Cut the potato into 1/4's and roughly chop the swede. Chop khourchef or celery into roughly same size as carrot. (Peel the carrots, potato, parsnip and swede).
• Add the vegetables to the meat along with 1L of water and turn up heat so they begin simmering. If using the chilli add it now, along with salt and pepper. If cooking in a regular pan then cook for 40 minutes like this. If using the pressure cooker as I do then 20 minutes will be enough.
• Add the tomatoes, chick peas and dried mint and 1/2L more water or enough to create a 'stew' consistency.
• Return to heat and cook in pan for further 30 minutes and if using pressure cooker then cook on med to high for a further 25 minutes.
• Take a 500g pack of medium couscous and pour into a gas'a if you have one. If not find the biggest bowl you have. Pick out any 'bits' and sprinkle water - about 50mls and a tsp of salt over the couscous and using your hand rub 1/2 tsp of oil through the couscous to stop it sticking. Fill a couscousier or steamer half full with the couscous (as it swells).
• When you 1st notice steam coming from the couscous, count 10 minutes. After that remove from the steamer, place in gas'a and use your hands to 'open' the couscous (rub it together between hands to remove clumps). This is very hot and you need to keep wetting you hand with cold water and sprinkling a little on the couscous.
• Return to steamer when thoroughly opened. Repeat process of steaming and opening twice more.
• Finally remove from steamer and place back in gas'a. Open for final time and rub a tbsp of ghee or smen into the couscous along with 2tsp of butter or margarine. Add salt to taste.
• Serve the couscous in the gas'a with sauce on top as traditional style or in tagine etc. Usually we place the meat/chicken in place - 1 for each guest and decorate the couscous with the veg before ladling some of the sauce over the top.
• If you used the chilli, put it on a plate and let people help themselves to it!

MOROCCAN CHICKEN AND COUSCOUS

Steps:

• Combine the carrots and 1 cup water in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Cook until crisp-tender, about 7 minutes; cover and set aside.
• Meanwhile, heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the olive oil, then add the chicken and season with salt and pepper. Cook, turning occasionally, until browned and just cooked through, about 4 minutes. Transfer to a plate using a slotted spoon. Add the onion to the skillet and season with 1/4 teaspoon salt. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned, about 6 minutes. Stir in the cumin and cinnamon; remove from the heat.
• Add the couscous, chickpeas, apricots and lemon zest to the skillet. Add the carrots and the hot cooking water (return to a simmer if the liquid has cooled); stir to combine. Add the chicken and any collected juices. Cover and let stand until the liquid is absorbed and the couscous is tender, about 5 minutes; fluff with a fork. Stir in the lemon juice and cilantro. Season with salt.

SKILLET CHICKEN AND PEARL COUSCOUS WITH MOROCCAN SPICES

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine the chicken thighs, lime juice, olive oil, garlic and cumin. Season well with salt and pepper and stir together until the chicken is well coated in the marinade; set aside at room temperature for 25 to 30 minutes.
• In a deep, 12-inch skillet or Dutch oven with a lid, heat the grapeseed or canola oil over medium-high. When it shimmers, lift the chicken out of the marinade, allowing any excess liquid to drip back into the bowl, then add the chicken to the skillet, skin-side down. Working in batches, if necessary, to avoid crowding the pan, cook until the chicken is well browned on both sides, about 6 minutes per side. Remove and set aside on a plate.
• Reduce heat to medium, add the leek and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft and translucent, 3 to 4 minutes, scraping up any brown bits that have formed on the bottom of the pan. Stir in the harissa paste, turmeric and cinnamon, and cook until lightly toasted, 1 to 2 minutes. Season well with salt.
• Add the couscous to the pan and stir until well coated in the spiced leek oil. Add the stock and bring to a boil. Turn heat to low and add the chicken back to the pan, skin-side up, along with any accumulated juices. Cover and simmer until the couscous is al dente and the chicken is cooked through, 10 to 15 minutes. If you're lucky, some of the couscous may slightly stick to the bottom of the pan, creating well-seasoned crispy bites.
• Remove from the heat and remove the lid. Scatter with the herbs, if using, and the lime zest, then serve from the pan.

NORTH AFRICAN CHICKEN TAGINE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 180C/160C/gas 4. Cut each chicken breast in half, then season all the chicken. Heat the oil in a mediumsize ovenproof casserole dish. Add the chicken, skin-side down, and brown well all over - you can do it in batches. Remove from the pan and set aside.
• Lower heat slightly, add the shallots to the pan and cook until golden brown all over. Add the garlic and grated ginger and cook for 30 secs before adding all the spices and cooking for 1 min more.
• Throw the butternut squash into the pan and stir to coat in the spices. Arrange the chicken, skin side uppermost, on top of the shallots and squash. Pour over the stock and drizzle in the honey. Bring to a gentle simmer, then transfer to the oven to bake for 40 mins until tender. Scatter with the coriander and serve with couscous and a bowl of harissa, if you like.

NORTH AFRICAN CHICKEN AND RICE

Steps:

• In a 3- or 4-qt. slow cooker, combine onion and oil. Place chicken thighs on top of onion; sprinkle with next 7 ingredients. Top with raisins, olives, lemon and garlic. Add broth. Cook, covered, on low until chicken is tender, 4-5 hours. Serve with hot cooked rice.

NORTH AFRICAN CHICKEN AND COUSCOUS

Steps:

• Bring the water to a boil in a medium saucepan, and gradually stir in couscous and raisins.
• Remove from heat.
• Cover; let stand 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork.
• Combine orange juice and next 6 ingredients (orange juice through black pepper); stir well with a whisk.
• Combine the couscous mixture, juice mixture, chicken, and remaining ingredients in a large bowl, and toss well.
• Garnish with green onions, if desired.

NORTH AFRICAN COUSCOUS WITH TEMPEH

Steps:

• Mix 1/3 cup water, soy sauce, honey, 1 1/2 teaspoons curry powder, garlic, lemon juice, and liquid smoke together in a bowl until marinade is smooth; add tempeh and turn to coat evenly. Marinate tempeh, turning frequently, for 20 minutes.
• Combine vegetable broth, 1 tablespoon olive oil, 2 1/2 tablespoons curry powder, and salt in a saucepan with a tight-fitting lid; bring to a boil. Add couscous, cover saucepan, and remove from heat. Let stand for 5 minutes. Fluff couscous with a fork.
• Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat; add tempeh and marinade. Cook tempeh until browned on the bottom, about 5 minutes. Turn and brown the other side, about 5 minutes more. Remove tempeh from skillet.
• Pour remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil into the same skillet; cook and stir onion until fragrant and brown, about 4 minutes. Add chickpeas and water; cook and stir using a wooden spoon to break up brown bits of food on the skillet, 3 to 4 minutes. Reduce heat to low.
• Fold couscous into the onion mixture; add tempeh. Sprinkle mint over couscous; cook and stir until warmed through, 2 to 3 minutes.

CASABLANCA CHICKEN COUSCOUS

Steps:

• In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add onion; saute until softened, 3-4 minutes. Add chicken, couscous, salt, pepper and pepper flakes; cook and stir until chicken begins to brown, 3-5 minutes. Add broth and dried fruit; cook, uncovered, until chicken and couscous are tender and fruit is moist, 8-10 minutes., Stir in remaining ingredients; heat through. Remove from heat. Let stand, covered, 10 minutes. Meanwhile, zest lemon peel into strips; cut lemon into six wedges. Top couscous with zest strips and serve with lemon wedges.

NORTH AFRICAN CHICKEN AND COUSCOUS

Steps:

• In a large sauce pan, add olive oil and saute onions until caramelized on low heat for about 8-10 minutes stirring frequently.
• Add cumin and sugar and cook for an additional 1-2 minutes stirring on low. (Do not let sugar burn).
• Cut chicken pieces into bite sized pieces.
• Add stock, chickpeas, raisins, saffron, cinnamon, chicken and bring to a light boil, then cover, reduce to simmer and cook for 30 minutes stirring frequently.
• Meanwhile, pre-heat the oven at 350 degrees F. Line a jelly roll pan with baking parchment paper, toast the almonds with the clarified butter drizzled over them for about 10-15 minutes in a 350 degree F oven and set aside.
• Stir couscous into boiling water, remove from heat and cover tightly, let stand for 8 minutes.
• Uncover and fluff with a fork.
• Serve with couscous on bottom, then chicken mixture and top with toasted almonds.
• Enjoy!

NORTH AFRICAN QUICK TAGINE-STYLE CHICKEN

Steps:

• Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium high heat. Add extra-virgin olive oil, 2 turns of the pan, in a slow stream, and add smashed garlic. Season the chicken with seasoning blend. Scatter chicken around the pan in an even layer. Cook chicken pieces 2 minutes on each side to brown, then add the onions, prunes, raisins and stock. Mix spices in a small dish and scatter over the pot. Cover and reduce to moderate heat. Cook 7 or 8 minutes, remove the lid and stir.
• To prepare the couscous, bring chicken stock to a boil. Add couscous, extra-virgin olive oil and scallions and remove the couscous from the stove immediately. Cover and let stand 5 minutes. Fluff the couscous with a fork.
• Uncover chicken and cook another 2 to 3 minutes to thicken slightly. Adjust the seasoning, to taste, and serve chicken on a bed of couscous. Garnish with chopped cilantro and scallions. Serve with chutney.

TUNISIAN CHICKEN COUSCOUS

Steps:

• In a little olive oil fry the sliced onion and chopped garlic for 2 minutes until slightly softened. Add tomatoe puree, spices and harissa and coat the onions in the spicey mixture and add the chicken pieces and stir to cover chicken and cook for a further two minutes beiung careful not too burn the spice mixture. Add a little water if neccessary and mix again.
• Add the passata, chicken stock cube, potato and more water and mix well again.
• Place the dried couscous into a large bowl and sprinkle with a tablespoon of water and work through the couscous - this is absored easily. You are making sure you seperate the couscous grains. Then do the same with a dessetspoon of good olive oil - making sure you work it through the couscous with your fingers, seperating the grains and getting rid of any clumps. You can do this with a fork if you wish. Place the grains into the colander or steamer section that sits on top of the cooking saucapan tightly.
• Add the rest of the water to the stew so all the ingreditants are well covered - it will look very wet but trust me. Add the drained chickpea and peas (carrot if you fancy it) and optional whole green chillies, and give the pan a good stir so its all evenly distributed throughout the pan. and allow to simmer.
• Clamp the colander/steamer with the couscous on top of the saucepan so the couscous steams as the stew cooks. Making sure the heat isnt too high.
• After 15 minutes lift the steamer off and stir the stew making sure nothing is caught on the bottom of the pan - add more water if neccessary. Fork through the couscous grains so its not clumping and place back on the stove for a further 30 mins. You can repeat as above checking when the chicken is ready. Once the meats cooked through turn off the heat and remove the couscous emptying into a very large bowl. Fluff through with a fork. Then rest the now empty colander on top of the couscous and drain the lovely tomato rich stews cooking liquid all over the steamed couscous until the couscous is covered. Place the now drained chicken and veg back over the saucepan and using a metal spoon fold the couscous into the cooking liquid and then leave to stand for 5 minutes at which point all the cooking liquid will have been absorbed. If its looking a little dry add some more of the liquid and stir it through. The couscous' consistancy shouldnt be sloppy or wet but moist and fluffy. To Serve place couscous in a large serving dish and smooth down and then add the chicken and vegetables on top.