Couscous

Original Joy of Cooking Recipe

6 servings

As with most basic native dishes, variations of this North African specialty abound. The following version comes from friends in Libya.

Soak overnight and cook the following day until half tender:

1 cup chick peas

Drain them. Cut into about 10 pieces:

2 lbs lamb, mutton or beef

Brown lightly in:

1 tablespoon olive oil
2 tablespoons butter

While browning slowly for about 10 minutes, add:

3/4 cup minced onion

When the onion is translucent, add:

2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1/2 teaspoon red pepper
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
2 tablespoons tomato paste

Reduce heat and barely simmer this thick mixture for about 10 minutes more. Place in a heavy pot with:

2 knuckle bones

and enough:

water to cover

Simmer covered until the meat can be pierced with a fork, but still offers slight resistance. Add:

3 cups potatoes, cut Parisienne
2 cups coarsely diced yellow or white squash
2 cups coarsely diced zucchini

and the drained cooked chick peas. Add, if necessary:

stock

Simmer covered until the meat and vegetables are tender, about 3/4 of an hour longer. Remove from heat and reserve this meat and vegetable mixture. When the fat rises to the top, skim and reserve 2 tablespoons of it. Rinse briefly and place in the top of a perforated steamer or a couscous pot:

1 lb. semolina, cracked millet, cracked wheat or kasha

Steam the cereal uncovered for 15 minutes, timing after you see steam rising from the top. Meanwhile reheat the meat and vegetable mixture. Drain the liquid and reserve it. Now working quickly so everything stays warm, remove the cereal from the steamer and add:

2 tablespoons orange flower water
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon cloves

Toss the seasoned couscous lightly in the 2 tablespoons of fat reserved from the meat mixture, and put it in a serving dish. Pour over it 1 cup of the drained liquid. Put the meat, vegetables and chick peas on top of the couscous. Use the remaining liquid as a separate sauce. Serve at once.

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