Vegetarian Couscous
The CSA sometimes gives you things that you don’t want. Or, more like you think you don’t want. I got a bunch of turnips. Growing up, I only knew turnips two ways: pickled and dyed with beet juice, in a shawarma sandwich (yum!); or stewed in a couscous.
I tried preparing turnips simply before, in an American recipe for a warm salad. It was the most disgusting thing I’ve ever cooked. They were bitter and mushy, and the apple cider vinegar-based dressing did not help. I’ve been afraid of cooking turnips again, but I also like exploring new ways of eating things.
My turnips’ leaves were yellowing and I had nothing else in my fridge. A neighbor was coming over for dinner, and the weather is shifting into winter, so I thought, “Fine, turnips, you are getting stewed.”
When I tasted the couscous, I thought two things: “Why haven’t you made couscous to get you through every New York winter?” and “Why isn’t preserved lemon in everything?” I proceeded to eat this for the next three days and did not get bored. Although, maybe Dave did. Sorry, Dave!
1 hour 45 minutes – serves 8
1 teaspoon coriander seeds
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
½ teaspoon caraway seeds
½ teaspoon turmeric
¼ teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon Aleppo pepper
1 lemon, thinly sliced
½ cup fresh lemon juice
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 ½ cups chopped onion
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 ½ tablespoons tomato paste
1 tablespoon harissa
5 carrots, peeled and cut into ½-inch pieces
4 cups water
2 red-skinned sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
1 bunch turnips, quartered (if large, cut into 3/4-inch pieces)
1 red bell pepper, sliced into one-inch strips
2 zucchinis, sliced lengthwise and cut into ½-inch pieces
1 15-ounce can chickpeas
¼ cup chopped fresh Italian parsley
1 teaspoon fresh mint
1 10-ounce box plain couscous (instructions below)
Vegetables
1. Toast coriander, cumin, and caraway seeds in small skillet over medium heat until beginning to brown, about 2 minutes. Cool. Transfer to spice mill; process until finely ground. Transfer to small bowl. Add Aleppo pepper, cinnamon, turmeric, and ½ teaspoon salt. (Haha! Spice mill? This is the dream version. I just used powdered spices in the same proportions)
2. Mix lemon slices, lemon juice, and 4 teaspoons coarse salt in small skillet. Bring to boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer until lemon slices are almost tender, about 10 minutes. Cool preserved lemon. Drain and chop.
3. Heat olive oil in heavy large pot over medium-high heat. Add onion; sprinkle with salt and sauté until beginning to soften, about 5 minutes. Add spice blend, garlic, tomato paste and harissa; stir 1 minute. Add carrots; stir 2 minutes. Add chopped preserved lemon, 4 cups water, sweet potatoes, turnips. Simmer with lid ajar for 25 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add zucchini, bell pepper and chickpeas until vegetables are tender, about 10 more minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
4. Remove from heat and let stand 10 minutes to allow flavors to blend. Top with parsley and mint.
Couscous
I’m very casual with my couscous. I don’t know if the method I use is kosher—I’ve read about the very intense North African process of steaming couscous—but I’m too lazy, and this is how my dad does it.
1. In a medium bowl, pour about two cups fine couscous grains. Drizzle a tablespoon of olive oil, and sprinkle ½ teaspoon salt.
2. Boil some water, and pour boiling water into couscous, covering couscous by ½ an inch.
3. Cover medium bowl with an upside down large bowl. Let couscous steam, 12 minutes. Remove large bowl and fluff couscous with a fork.
heavily modified from a bon appétit recipe
I tried preparing turnips simply before, in an American recipe for a warm salad. It was the most disgusting thing I’ve ever cooked. They were bitter and mushy, and the apple cider vinegar-based dressing did not help. I’ve been afraid of cooking turnips again, but I also like exploring new ways of eating things.
My turnips’ leaves were yellowing and I had nothing else in my fridge. A neighbor was coming over for dinner, and the weather is shifting into winter, so I thought, “Fine, turnips, you are getting stewed.”
When I tasted the couscous, I thought two things: “Why haven’t you made couscous to get you through every New York winter?” and “Why isn’t preserved lemon in everything?” I proceeded to eat this for the next three days and did not get bored. Although, maybe Dave did. Sorry, Dave!
1 hour 45 minutes – serves 8
1 teaspoon coriander seeds
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
½ teaspoon caraway seeds
½ teaspoon turmeric
¼ teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon Aleppo pepper
1 lemon, thinly sliced
½ cup fresh lemon juice
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 ½ cups chopped onion
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 ½ tablespoons tomato paste
1 tablespoon harissa
5 carrots, peeled and cut into ½-inch pieces
4 cups water
2 red-skinned sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
1 bunch turnips, quartered (if large, cut into 3/4-inch pieces)
1 red bell pepper, sliced into one-inch strips
2 zucchinis, sliced lengthwise and cut into ½-inch pieces
1 15-ounce can chickpeas
¼ cup chopped fresh Italian parsley
1 teaspoon fresh mint
1 10-ounce box plain couscous (instructions below)
Vegetables
1. Toast coriander, cumin, and caraway seeds in small skillet over medium heat until beginning to brown, about 2 minutes. Cool. Transfer to spice mill; process until finely ground. Transfer to small bowl. Add Aleppo pepper, cinnamon, turmeric, and ½ teaspoon salt. (Haha! Spice mill? This is the dream version. I just used powdered spices in the same proportions)
2. Mix lemon slices, lemon juice, and 4 teaspoons coarse salt in small skillet. Bring to boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer until lemon slices are almost tender, about 10 minutes. Cool preserved lemon. Drain and chop.
3. Heat olive oil in heavy large pot over medium-high heat. Add onion; sprinkle with salt and sauté until beginning to soften, about 5 minutes. Add spice blend, garlic, tomato paste and harissa; stir 1 minute. Add carrots; stir 2 minutes. Add chopped preserved lemon, 4 cups water, sweet potatoes, turnips. Simmer with lid ajar for 25 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add zucchini, bell pepper and chickpeas until vegetables are tender, about 10 more minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
4. Remove from heat and let stand 10 minutes to allow flavors to blend. Top with parsley and mint.
Couscous
I’m very casual with my couscous. I don’t know if the method I use is kosher—I’ve read about the very intense North African process of steaming couscous—but I’m too lazy, and this is how my dad does it.
1. In a medium bowl, pour about two cups fine couscous grains. Drizzle a tablespoon of olive oil, and sprinkle ½ teaspoon salt.
2. Boil some water, and pour boiling water into couscous, covering couscous by ½ an inch.
3. Cover medium bowl with an upside down large bowl. Let couscous steam, 12 minutes. Remove large bowl and fluff couscous with a fork.
heavily modified from a bon appétit recipe
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