Speedy Chickpea Couscous With Pesto Food

SUMMER VEGETABLE COUSCOUS WITH SPICY PESTO

Steps:

• Prepare the chickpeas for the stew: Put chickpeas in a medium saucepan and cover with water. Add onion stuck with cloves, bay leaf, cinnamon stick and carrot. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and gently simmer for 45 minutes or so, until tender. Add 1/2 teaspoon salt and let chickpeas cool in their broth. May be cooked a day or 2 ahead. Alternatively, use 2 cups canned chickpeas.
• Make the couscous: Melt butter in large saucepan over medium heat. Add corn kernels and season generously with salt and pepper, then sauté, stirring, for a minute or so. Add couscous, cinnamon, saffron (if using), turmeric and 3 cups water, bring to a boil, then lower heat and simmer for 1 minute, stirring. Put the lid on and turn off heat. Leave for 10 to 15 minutes, then fluff. Taste and adjust salt, then keep warm. Or, for lighter, more tender couscous grains, follow step 3 (optional).
• Spread warm couscous on a baking sheet to let cool to room temperature, then rake with fingers to remove clumps. Sprinkle with 1/2 cup cold water. Then place couscous in top compartment of a steamer and put water in bottom compartment. To steam, bring water to a boil, then reduce heat but leave at a rapid simmer. Steam for 15 minutes, covered. Keep warm.
• Make the stew: Heat olive oil in a large heavy-bottomed soup pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add red onion and cook, stirring, for 5 minutes, until somewhat softened. Add garlic, tomato paste, pimentón, red pepper flakes, cumin and coriander and stir to coat.
• Add sweet peppers, zucchini and tomatoes and season generously with salt. Add cooked chickpeas and 3 cups chickpea cooking liquid or water. Stir to combine, bring to a simmer and cover. Simmer for 10 minutes, then add okra, cover again and cook for 5 minutes more, until all vegetables are soft. Check seasoning of broth and adjust if necessary.
• Meanwhile, make the pesto: Put cilantro, serrano chile, garlic, cumin, olive oil and salt in a food processor and pulse to a rough purée. Transfer to a small serving bowl. To keep green color, add lime juice just before serving.
• To serve, ladle stew (with plenty of broth) into large wide bowls or deep plates. Nestle a large spoonful of couscous on the side. Pass the spicy pesto separately, telling everyone to add pesto to taste.

PEARL COUSCOUS WITH CREAMY FETA AND CHICKPEAS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 450 degrees. In a 9-inch baking dish, cake pan or gratin dish, toss together tomatoes, scallions, 2 tablespoons oil, 1 tablespoon vinegar, garlic, 1/2 teaspoon salt, pepper and oregano sprigs. Roast until tomatoes are tender, about 15 minutes.
• While tomatoes roast, heat the stock until it boils, then stir in remaining 1 teaspoon salt, adding more to taste. (You want a well-seasoned broth here to flavor the couscous.) Stir in cilantro, lemon zest and cumin.
• Remove tomatoes from oven and fold in couscous, chickpeas and hot stock mixture. Cover pan tightly with foil, and return to oven for 20 minutes.
• Remove foil and fold in about 3/4ths of the feta (save the rest for garnish) and Parmesan. Bake uncovered until feta starts to melt, another 5 minutes.
• To serve, pull out and discard herb sprigs if you like, and spoon couscous into bowls. Top with remaining feta, lots more herbs, pepper and a drizzle of olive oil and balsamic vinegar.

CHICKPEA COUSCOUS

Steps:

• In a small saucepan, combine chickpeas, raisins, oil, 1 cup water, 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt, and 1/4 teaspoon ground pepper; bring to a boil. Stir in couscous, and cover pot; remove from heat. Set aside (5 minutes). Fluff couscous gently with a fork before serving.

VEGETABLE COUSCOUS WITH MOROCCAN PESTO

Steps:

• Make the pesto:
• Combine the cilantro, parsley leaves, almonds and garlic in a food processor; pulse until coarsely chopped. Add the olive oil and 1/2 teaspoon salt; process until smooth.
• Prepare the vegetables for the couscous: Heat a wide heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Add 3 tablespoons butter and 1 teaspoon salt; cook until the butter begins to brown. Add the onion. Tie the reserved parsley stems and cinnamon stick together with twine; add to the pot. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes, 1 cup water, carrots, zucchini and/or Swiss chard, raisins, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, and pepper to taste. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are crisp-tender, about 15 minutes. Remove the parsley and cinnamon.
• Meanwhile, cook the couscous as the label directs. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon butter, season with salt and pepper and fluff with a fork. Top the couscous with the vegetables and pesto.

SPEEDY CHICKPEA COUSCOUS WITH PESTO

Steps:

• 1 Pour the broth into a medium saucepan and bring to a boil. Remove the saucepan from the heat. Stir in the couscous, chickpeas, pesto, 2 tablespoons of the basil, garlic, salt, and pepper. Cover and let sit until the liquid is absorbed, about 10 minutes.
• 2 Taste and adjust for salt and pepper. Fluff with two forks, sprinkle with the remaining 2 table-spoons basil, and serve right away.

COUSCOUS & ROASTED SPICED CHICKPEAS & PINE NUTS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 400°F.
• Combine first seven ingredients (1 tablespoon oil) and mix thoroughly.
• Place on parchment lined baking sheet.
• Bake for 20 minutes shaking pan as needed till crispy.
• Combine the couscous of your choice as directed on the package.
• Combine remaining 2 tablespoons of oil, lemon zest, lemon juice, honey, mint, and shake well.
• Add arugula or spinach to the hot couscous.
• Mix the vinaigrette with the couscous mixture.
• Divide among bowls,.
• Sprinkle on the chick peas over top and also the pine nuts.
• Enjoy!

BASIL PESTO COUSCOUS

Steps:

• Bring water to a boil.
• Add couscous, butter and salt.
• Remove from heat and let stand 5 minutes.
• Topping: In a blender, blend all topping ingredients except the parmesan.
• (Alternately, use a ready made basil pesto).
• Cook blended mixture (pesto) in a pan until warm/hot.
• Mix the warm topping mix with couscous.
• Toss with parmesan cheese.
• Serve immediately.

HEARTY CHICKPEA STEW WITH PESTO

Steps:

• In a large pot, heat oil over medium-high. Add onion and celery, season with salt and pepper, and cook until golden, 10 minutes. Add oregano and tomato paste and cook, stirring, until fragrant, 1 minute. Stir in broth and bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook until onion is tender, 5 minutes.
• Add chickpeas and bread and simmer until thickened, 6 to 8 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and serve topped with pesto.