Preserved Lemon Toasted Pine Nut Couscous Food

PRESERVED LEMONS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 250 degrees F.
• Cut the lemons into sixths, lengthwise, sprinkle with the salt and place in a non-corrosive dish (glass is good). Cover the lemons with water and cook in the oven for 3 hours. Allow to cool and then refrigerate.

LEMON & CORIANDER COUSCOUS

Steps:

• Prepare 250g couscous with boiling water or stock, according to the packet's instructions.
• Add the lemon zest, fresh coriander, raisins and pine nuts. Season well and drizzle with plenty of olive oil. Goes really well with fish or lamb.

LEMON COUSCOUS

Steps:

• Stir chicken broth, lemon juice, lemon zest, butter, and salt together in a saucepan; bring to a boil. Add couscous to the liquid and stir to coat completely. Place a cover on the saucepan, remove from heat, and let couscous soak in hot liquid until the moisture is mostly absorbed, about 5 minutes.
• Fluff couscous with a fork. Stir pimento peppers, pine nuts, and parsley into the couscous.

COUSCOUS-PARSLEY SALAD WITH PRESERVED LEMON

Steps:

• In a medium bowl, combine the couscous with the water and lemon juice. Let stand 1 hour.
• To the couscous add the olive oil, parsley, mint, preserved lemon rind, pine nuts, salt and pepper. Mound the couscous in the center of a serving platter. Top with diced tomato. Surround the base with endive leaves. Serve at room temperature.
• Scrub the lemons under running water and pat dry. Cut a thin slice from each end of a lemon. Set on end and make a vertical cut 3/4 of the way through the fruit, leaving the 2 halves attached. Turn the lemon upside down, rotate 90 degrees, and make a second vertical cut, again 3/4 of the way through the fruit. Fill each cut with as much salt as it will hold. Place the lemon in a sterilized, 1-quart size, wide-mouth canning jar. Proceed in this manner for the remaining lemons, pressing as many into the jar as possible. Seal and set aside at room temperature. Add additional lemons over the next few days as the rinds of the first lemons begin to soften. By this time, the juices should have risen to cover the lemons. If not, add 1 tablespoon of fresh lemon juice mixed with 1 teaspoon of salt. This will prevent the top lemons from darkening. Store at room temperature until the rinds become tender, and the pulp acquires the consistency of jam, 3 to 4 weeks. Refrigerate. Use within 6 months.
• Yield: 1 quart

PINE NUT AND PRESERVED LEMON COUSCOUS

Steps:

• In shallow pan, add the couscous.
• Bring water to a simmer and pour over the couscous.
• Cover and let sit until all of the liquid as evaporated, about 5 minutes.
• In a small sauti pan, melt the butter over medium heat.
• Add the onions.
• Season with salt and pepper.
• Sauti for 1 minute.
• Stir the onions, pine nuts, preserved lemons and parsley into the couscous and serve.

COUSCOUS WITH QUICK PRESERVED LEMON

Steps:

• If the couscous is instant, follow the instructions on the packet.
• For non-instant couscous, place the couscous into a large bowl. Fill a stock pot or large pasta pot 3/4 of the way with water. Bring water to a boil. Pour the couscous into the boiling water and stir. Cook for 7 to 8 minutes until the couscous is tender. Drain the couscous and toss in preserved lemon and cilantro. Season with salt and pepper.
• Quick preserved lemon: Slice 2 lemons into 1/4-inch slices, lay out on a plate and salt on 1 side. Turn over and salt the other. Stack on top of themselves and let sit for 20 minutes in a baking dish. Rinse gently with cold water and dice into 1/2-inch pieces.

COUSCOUS WITH PINE NUTS

Steps:

• Melt the butter in a large saucepan. Add the shallots and cook them over medium-low heat for 3 minutes, until translucent. Add the chicken stock, salt, and pepper and bring to a boil. Turn off the heat. Stir in the couscous, cover the pan, and set aside for 10 minutes. Add the pine nuts, currants, and parsley and fluff with a fork to combine. Serve hot.

MOROCCAN SEASONED CHICKEN WITH PINE NUT COUSCOUS

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine paprika, turmeric, coriander, cumin and cinnamon; add chicken and toss.
• In a large skillet, heat oil over medium high heat and cook chicken until browned, about 3 to 4 minutes.
• Add onion, garlic and lemon slices; season with salt and pepper.
• Cook, stirring frequently, until the onion is softened, about 6 minutes.
• Add 1 cup chicken stock, olives, and lemon juice; scrape brown bits from bottom of pan, remove from heat, and season with salt and pepper.
• Heat the remaining chicken stock and butter in a medium saucepan until boiling; stir in couscous, cover, and turn off the heat; let stand 5 minutes.
• Fluff couscous with a fork and stir in pine nuts.
• Serve the chicken and sauce over the couscous and sprinkle with parsley.

LEMON-PISTACHIO ISRAELI COUSCOUS

Steps:

• 1. Trim the stem end from the lemon and cut it into quarters. Scoop out the pulp and press it through a strainer into a medium-sized bowl to extract the juices; discard the pulp. Finely dice the preserved lemon rind and add it to the bowl along with the parsley, butter, dried fruit, pistachios, salt, and cinnamon.
• 2. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the couscous and cook according to the package instructions. Drain and add it to the bowl of fruits and nuts, stirring until the butter is melted and all the ingredients are well mixed. Season with black pepper and serve.

ISRAELI COUSCOUS WITH ROASTED BUTTERNUT SQUASH AND PRESERVED LEMON

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 475°F.
• Halve lemons and scoop out flesh, keeping both flesh and peel. Cut enough peel into 1/4-inch dice to measure 1/4 cup. Put lemon flesh in a sieve set over a bowl and press with back of a spoon to extract juice.
• Toss squash with 1 tablespoon oil and salt to taste in a large shallow baking pan and spread in 1 layer. Roast in upper third of oven 15 minutes, or until squash is just tender, and transfer to a large bowl.
• Cook onion in 1 tablespoon oil in a 10-inch heavy skillet over moderately high heat, stirring occasionally, until just beginning to turn golden. Add to squash.
• Cook couscous with cinnamon stick in a large pot of boiling salted water 10 minutes, or until just tender, and drain in a colander (do not rinse). Add couscous to vegetables and toss with 2 tablespoon oil to coat.
• Add lemon peel and juice, parsley, nuts, raisins, ground cinnamon, and salt to taste. Toss to mix well.
• To adapt this recipe to serve 50:
• 4 to 5 preserved lemons
• 5 lb. butternut squash, peeled and seeded
• 3/4 to 1 cup olive oil
• 3 cups chopped onion
• 7 cups Israeli couscous or acini di pepe (tiny peppercorn-shaped pasta), about 3 lb.
• 4 (3-inch) cinnamon sticks
• 3 cups chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 2 cups pine nuts, toasted
• 2 cups golden raisins
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• Preheat oven to 475°F.
• Halve lemons and scoop out flesh, keeping both flesh and peel. Cut enough peel into 1/4-inch dice to measure 1 cup. Put lemon flesh in a sieve set over a bowl and press with back of a spoon to extract juice.
• Cut enough squash into 1/4-inch dice to measure about 12 cups and toss with 1/3 cup oil and salt to taste. Roast in single layers in batches in your largest shallow baking pan in upper third of oven 15 minutes, or until just tender.
• Cook 1/2 of onion in 3 tablespoons oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over moderately high heat, stirring occasionally, until just beginning to turn golden. Add to squash. Repeat with remaining onion and more oil.
• Cook couscous with cinnamon sticks in an 8-qt. pot of boiling salted water 10 minutes, or until just tender, and drain in a colander (do not rinse). Toss couscous with 3 tablespoons oil in a large bowl. Add squash, onion, lemon peel and juice, and remaining ingredients. Season with salt (you'll need a lot) and toss to mix well.

PRESERVED LEMON-TOASTED PINE NUT COUSCOUS

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine couscous, pine nuts, preserved lemon, garlic, mint, green onions and olive oil and fluff with a fork to separate couscous. Season to taste. Serve at room temperature or reheat in microwave.

TOASTED PINE NUT AND PARMESAN COUSCOUS

Steps:

• Bring water to a boil.
• Add couscous, butter and salt.
• Remove from heat and let stand 5 minutes.
• Topping: Heat the oil in a shallow pan.
• Cook"topping" ingredients except parmesan until the garlic becomes golden.
• Mix the warm topping with the couscous.
• Toss with parmesan cheese.
• Serve immediately.