By Victoria Hart Glavin of Tiny New York Kitchen
Did you know that couscous is not a grain, but a tiny Moroccan pasta made from semolina flour? Here is a basic couscous recipe and some delicious variations.
INGREDIENTS
- 1 1/4 Cup Water
- 1/4 Cup Dark Seedless Raisins, Dried Currants, Dried Cranberries or Dried Cherries (Optional)
- 1 Tablespoon Butter
- 3/4 Teaspoon Kosher Salt
- 1-Cup Couscous
In a 3-quart saucepan, combine water, raisins (if using), butter, and kosher salt. Heat to boil over a high heat. Stir in couscous. Remove from heat; cover and let stand 5 minutes. Fluff with fork. Transfer to serving bowl. Makes about 3 cups or serves 4 as side dish.
Lime Couscous: Prepare as directed, but leave out raisins and add 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice, and 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated lime peel to water.
Moroccan Couscous: Prepare as directed, but add 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric, and 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin to water.
Dried Tomato & Green Onion Couscous: Prepare couscous ad directed, but leave out raisins. Add 1 sliced green onion and 5 chopped dried tomato halves to water.
Almond Couscous: Prepare couscous as directed but leave out raisins. Add a pinch of ground nutmeg and pinch of dried thyme to water. Stir 1/4 cup toasted slivered almonds into fluffed couscous.
_______
Victoria Hart Glavin has been cooking and writing recipes since she was a teenager. Originally from Nebraska, her appreciation for culinary technique took off when she moved to Lyon, France.
While living in France, Victoria studied French cooking from an expert Lyonnais chef. Victoria learned to love the local culture of preparing and enjoying fresh, seasonal foods. While in France, Victoria experienced the joys of shopping for local produce at the market and preparing fresh foods simply and beautifully in order to enhance the experience of the table. During her time in France, she says she “learned how to squeeze tomatoes at the local market” and “took everything in by osmosis.”
Currently, Victoria creates tasty treats in her tiny kitchen, in New York City, for all to enjoy and on weekends she explores Fairfield County where has a second home. Victoria has shared her recipes with others and now you can enjoy the Tiny New York Kitchen recipe collection, too! Victoria is a member of Culinary Historians of New York and a member of the Association for the Study of Food and Society.