Couscous

Name: Couscous
Yield: Serves 8–10
Ingredients: 4 sections of marrow bone shank, 13–18 cm (5–7 inches) long; 4–8 slices of scrag end of mutton or lamb; harissa, or chilli powder and paprika; 375–750 g (¾–1¾ lb) shin of beef; butter; salt and pepper; 4–6 medium-size carrots, peeled; 175 g (6 oz) chick-peas, soaked for 36 hours; 250 g (9 oz) pumpkin, cubed (optional); ½-1 chicken (boiling or roasting fowl); 500 g (1–1¼ lb) couscous; 1 red, hot chilli, de-seeded; a heart of 1 cabbage, sliced; a generous pinch of saffron; 4 tomatoes, peeled and chopped; 60–100 g (2–4 oz) raisins; 8 tiny courgettes; 8 cm (3-inch) stick of cinnamon; 3–4 small white turnips, peeled (optional); 2 × 15 ml spoon (2 tablespoons) coriander; 1 large onion, sliced, plus the skin; oil; extra coriander and chopped parsley; 250 g (9 oz) shelled broad beans (optional)

Preparation info

Serves
8–10

Difficulty
Medium

Appears in

The Cooking of the Mediterranean

By Jane Grigson

Published 1991

About

Couscous is a magnificently hospitable dish for a number of people. Meat and vegetables can be varied with the season. If one or two extra people turn up, just add extra couscous. The explanation may sound laborious, but once you understand the stages, Couscous is very little trouble – especially if you make it at the weekend when there is help around. Then the preparation is nearly as much fun for everyone as the eating.

The traditional couscoussier is a huge double pot. In

Ingredients

Stew
Mediterranean

Ingredients

Method