What do you put in your couscous?
Couscous is one of my all-time favorite side dishes. It's quick and easy and can be prepared so many different ways. For dinner tonight I fixed it with sun-dried tomatoes and fresh basil. I also like it with soaked dried apricots and nutmeg. What does everyone else like?
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17 Comments:
I love couscous! One of my favourite "couscous mixes" consists of seeded and diced tomatoes and bell peppers, finely minced red onion, garlic, dill and roasted corn, sometimes pine nuts, too, if I happen to have them on hand. Another one is diced tomatoes, minced shallots, garlic, chopped kalamata olives and basil.
In winter, I make a heavier "sauce" for couscous, usually chicken broth based, with sauteed onions, butternut squash, chickpeas, garlic and herbs (parsley and dill), seasoned with some cumin and turmeric.
brooke29 at 12:27AM on 10/07/08
Diced tomatoes, cukes, maybe come crumbled feta and olives, and some oregano. Bit of lemon juice, maybe.
dbcurrie at 1:57AM on 10/07/08
Rasins. That's it. I like it this way. Too bad the wife doesn't
thepirateking at 4:12AM on 10/07/08
The chefs who cooks in the Canyon Ranch section of the cafeteria love to experiment, especially when our workplace buys all the leftover fruits, vegetables, and meat at the local organic farmer's market we have once per week in one of our courtyards (so the farmer's don't go home with any leftovers). My favorite prep of couscous comes with strawberries and/or kiwis, sometimes with blueberries or raspberries.
The other version I've had at work is dbcurrie's preparation. Artichokes are occasionally added.
I've also had it at a party mixed with (thoroughly) minced parsley, onions, mint, and lemon juice, similar to tabbouleh. I hate parsley and onions, but this is actually pretty good since the lemon and mint flavors come out the strongest.
Cassaendra at 7:47AM on 10/07/08
sauteed garlic, spinach, pinenuts and chopped sundried tomatoes....
rich and flavorful....
pooch at 8:37AM on 10/07/08
toasted pine nuts, apricots, green onions, cooked in chicken broth.....
Maureen at 9:19AM on 10/07/08
I LOVE couscous! My favorite mixture is chopped basil, chopped tomatoes, cubed fresh mozzarella, and kalamata olives. Then I dress it with a mix of balsamic, olive oil, dijon, a little garlic, and some salt and pepper.
embolini9 at 9:23AM on 10/07/08
Couscous good good.
Sometimes I add sliced almonds and dried cranberries. Sometimes I add spinach, parmesean and a little bacon.
Laurel E at 9:42AM on 10/07/08
pistachios, green onions, and mint...
Kerry Saretsky at 10:18AM on 10/07/08
One of my favorites is cucumber, fresh mint, a little honey, and pecans. Makes a great chilled salad.
It's also good as breakfast cereal, or sprinkled with a little cheddar and garlic powder, or with tomatoes, basil, and feta, or with red beans and cajun spices, or with a little yogurt, lemon juice, and curry powder, or a psuedo-risotto with chicken stock and parmesan, or mixed vegs and leftover chicken, or...
I like couscous. =)
jenilowrance at 12:15PM on 10/07/08
I adore couscous. It's the perfect hiking and camping food - after a long hike, you can throw whatever you want in a saute pan with some canned white meat chicken, cook the couscous, and combine the two for a healthy, filling meal.
At home, I saute whatever veggies I have on hand - usually onions, red bell pepper, zucchini, and garlic - and throw them in there. I haven't really experimented much with dried fruit, but maybe I will tonight - I do have some cranberries at home.
I am super-happy my fiance adores couscous as much as I do. He asks for it all the time - and it's yummy and easy, who am I to say no?
lo82070 at 2:21PM on 10/07/08
I make a salad with black beans, diced avocado, sweet corn, mandarin orange segments and citrus vinegrette. I also like it in place of noodles in chicken soup.
KtMc24 at 3:18PM on 10/07/08
I LOVE couscous for camping. It's lightweight and cooks up quick when you're starved. These are some really awesome ideas. I don't know why I've never thought to cook it in chicken broth before--I cook rice that way all the time!
Guess I better go stock up on whole wheat couscous at TJ's.
buffy at 7:09PM on 10/07/08
There is an amazing Delia Smith recipe for cous cous salad. It's made of roasted vegetables: eggplant, cherry tomatoes, fennel, red pepper, yellow pepper and onion. mixed into the cous cous with basil, goats cheese and a sauce made up of tomato paste, cumin, olive oil, lime juice and a little cayanne. YUM! always a winner.
waterbaby at 10:34AM on 10/08/08
I like to make a couscous salad with ruby red grapfruit, salted and chopped almonds and cilantro. Served room temp or chilled.
Raisins would be good in there too for a bit of sweet.
Latlie at 11:02AM on 10/08/08
I also like to cook couscous in broth.
I love to add balsamic roasted vegetables. Chop and mix whatever you have on hand, zucchini, carrots, muchrooms, peppers, tomatoes, onions, toss with some olive oil and couple tablespoons balsamic. Add some seasonings, roast 15 to 25 minutes, add to couscous. Very tasty!
bobcatsteph3 at 12:11PM on 10/08/08
@buffy--fwiw, I tried the whole wheat couscous at TJ's and found it unpleasantly gritty in texture. Their regular couscous (and Israeli couscous) is fine...
Junie at 2:18PM on 10/08/08