[?] Subscribe To This Site

Best Couscous Recipe

Couscous Recipe - Spicy Moroccan Mediterranean Lamb

Moroccan Couscous Recipe with Lamb and Root Vegetables

We often use this couscous recipe ourselves and it's a good way to recreate the tastes, flavours and aromas of Moroccan food without becoming too complicated. In other words, a simple and easy way to transport yourself to Tangiers, Fez or Casablanca.
Some of the spice mixes are difficult to find and if you can buy good Ras El Hanout please substitute it for our spice mix if you wish.
We set out to paint a broad canvas, a good general grounding and then let you take it where you wish. Some people like lots of heat from their spices and others prefer a more mellow combination: experiment with the seasoning until you get it just the way you like it.

This is what you'll need:

Ingredients for four People

One small leg of lamb about 1.5k/3-1/2lb.
Ten ounces, about 250g.of couscous
Just under 3/4 of a pint 400cc. of boiling water
Four large carrots - bite sized pieces
One Moroccan preserved lemon (pith and flesh removed and sliced).
One pint - about 500cc. of lamb or chicken stock
Four stalks of celery - bite sized pieces
A good sized courgette - bite sized pieces
Four Leeks - bite sized pieces
One small white turnip - bite sized pieces
One red pepper - coarsley chopped
Four ounces, about 100g. sultanas
Two tablespoons of honey
Two large tomatoes - chopped
One large onion - chopped
Six large cloves of garlic - chopped
A bunch each of parsley and coriander (chopped)
2tbs. Extra virgin olive oil to fry
A teaspoon of corn flour (corn starch) and a little cold water to slake

Spice mix

1 teaspoon of powdered ginger
1/2 a teaspoon of powdered nutmeg
2 cloves
2 teaspoons of cumin seeds (cominos)
2 teaspoons of coriander seeds (cilantro)
1 teaspoon of salt
2 or three dried chillis
A 2" piece of cinnamon

New Feature: Printer Friendly Recipe Pages for your convenience.

CLICK HERE TO PRINT

Couscous Recipe Method

OK - first, in a large non stick fry pan or skillet, brown your lamb, onions, carrots, red pepper and celery together in the olive oil.
Then - reduce the heat and add the garlic, stirring well.
Add the stock and bring to the boil.
Let it simmer gently and meanwhile - dry roast your cumin seeds, cloves, salt, cinnamon and chillis in a small pan, until toasted.
Then transfer to a pestle and mortar and add the ginger and nutmeg...or you may find it easier, like us, to have a special coffee grinder that will whizz these spices up in seconds!
Pound or whizz to a powder and then add to your pan (through a seive).
Next the tomatoes, leeks, turnip, preserved lemon, honey and half the parsley and coriander.
Bring back to the boil.
Spoon this mixture into an earthenware cooking tagine . Put on the top and place on the middle shelf of a moderate oven 180ºc/350ºf
Cook for 1-1/2 - 2 hours adding the courgettes 15 minutes before the end.
While all that's going on you can cook the couscous - place the couscous with a pinch of salt in a large bowl.
Pour on the boiling water and leave for two minutes.
Stir with a fork until well separated.
Get ready to serve - spoon the hot couscous into an earthenware casserole. (If it needs reheating a little, just give it a quick buzz it in the microwave.)
Carefully drain the liquor from the vegetables and lamb in the tagine, sprinkle with the remaining parsley and coriander, then put the top back on to keep it hot.
Now put the liquor into a small pan and bring to the boil -then thicken with the corn flour (slaked in a little cold water) and pour the sauce into a sauce boat.
Time to serve this wonderful feast.....the flavours are amazing. Remember that you can make it as hot or mild as you like ...just adjust the chilli's to your taste and enjoy!!