MOROCCAN COUSCOUS AND ROAST LEMON CHICKEN: "THIS DINNER IS GOOD!"

MOROCCAN COUSCOUS AND ROAST LEMON CHICKEN: “THIS DINNER IS GOOD!”

Saturday, October 31, 2009

You just never know when the stars are going to be perfectly aligned; when you’ll buy the winning lottery ticket; or when you’ll hit a home run. Nor will you know what home cooked meal besides burgers and pizza is going to please every single person in the family. Sometimes you come close, but most of the time it is just hit and miss. If they don’t like dinner, I don’t take it personally. When they all love it…..rave about it….eat it, I take full credit. It makes me feel great.

Tonight was my night. My little one and I had been at home doing homework and getting dinner ready. By the time my husband came home with the older children in tow, it was done. When they opened the front door, they were immediately hit with the aroma of roasting chicken. That smell will knock you out with good happy feelings and an anticipation for dinner. “What’s for dinner?” was the first thing out of their mouth. I never answer that question. “Read the menu”, I say. It said “roast lemon chicken and Moroccan couscous.” They all know better than to make any comment. When we finally sat down to eat, everyone dove in. There was not the usual hesitation or suspicious examination of the food. They liked the smell and the way it looked, and that was enough even for the children. There were “hmms” and “may I some more, please”s. Sometimes, they surprise me.

Couscous (koos-koos) is a semolina pasta that is a staple in the diet of people in North Africa. The grains are tiny and, unlike pasta, they must be steamed. Couscous can be eaten at breakfast with milk like a porridge, as a salad, dessert, or as a main dish with vegetables or meat. In this recipe, onions, squash, and carrots are diced and roasted and then mixed with couscous. What gives the dish its real flavor though is the broth that you pour over the couscous: it is flavored with cumin, saffron, and pepper. The exotic combination of flavors goes perfectly with roast chicken or broiled lamb chops.

Note: For the roast lemon chicken recipe, click here and go to variation #5: Lemon Chicken: http://peaceandloveinthekitchen.blogspot.com/2009/09/fine-roast-chicken.html .

MOROCCAN COUSCOUS
adapted from Barefoot in Paris by Ina Garten

Serves 6-8

2 cups butternut squash, diced (3/4-inch)
2 cups yellow onion, chopped (2 onions)
1 1/2 cups carrots, diced (3/4-inch) (about 4)
1 1/2 cups zucchini, diced (3/4-inch) (about 2 medium)
2 Tbsp good olive oil
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 cups homemade chicken stock, or canned broth
2 Tbsp unsalted butter
1/4 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp saffron threads
1 1/2 cups couscous
2 scallions, chopped, white and green parts

1. PREP VEGETABLES: Preheat oven to 375. Place squash, onions, carrots, and zucchini on a baking sheet and toss with olive oil, 2 tsp salt, and 1 tsp pepper. Roast until vegetables are tender and just beginning to brown, 30-35 minutes, turning once or twice with a spatula.

2. PREP BROTH: In a saucepan, bring chicken stock to a boil. Turn off heat. Add butter, 1 tsp salt (depending on the saltiness of your broth), 1/2 tsp pepper, cumin, and saffron. Stir and let it sit for at least 15 minutes.

3. COMBINE: When the vegetables are done, bring the chicken stock back to a boil. Remove from heat. In a large bowl, place couscous and then add vegetables. Pour stock over it all. Do not stir. Immediately cover the bowl with plastic wrap or foil and let it sit at room temperature for 15 minutes. Add scallions and toss the couscous and vegetables with a fork. Serve warm or at room temperature.