Couscous with Lamb Cutlets, Harissa and Fennel

Name: Couscous with Lamb Cutlets, Harissa and Fennel
Yield: Serves 4
Cuisine: Moroccan
Ingredients: 4 fennel bulbs, stalks removed and quartered (feathery fronds reserved); 50 g/2 oz/¼ cup butter; 30-45 ml/2-3 tbsp tomato purée (paste); 10 ml/2 tsp harissa; 4 garlic cloves, chopped; 30-45 ml/2-3 tbsp tomato purée (paste); 45 ml/3 tbsp olive oil; 2 onions, quartered; 350 g/12 oz/2 cups medium couscous; 30 ml/2 tbsp sunflower oil; 2.5 ml/½ tsp salt; 400 ml/14 fl oz/1¾ cups warm water; salt and ground black pepper; salt and ground black pepper; 8 thin lamb cutlets (US rib chops); 8 thin lamb cutlets (US rib chops); knob (pat) of butter, diced; knob (pat) of butter, diced

Preparation info

Serves
4

Difficulty
Easy

Appears in

Modern Moroccan

By Ghillie Basan

Published 2016

About

This style of couscous dish is often served with sour pickles, such as cabbage or hot peppers. Throughout the Middle East and North Africa, every butcher prepares thin lamb cutlets for grilling or frying - ask your butcher to do the same for this dish.

Ingredients

45 ml/3 tbsp olive oil
2 onions, quartered
4

Africa
Middle East
Morocco
Main course
Mediterranean
North Africa

Method

Heat the olive oil in a heavy pan, add the onions and garlic and cook for 15 minutes, until softened. Mix the tomato purée with the harissa and dilute with a little water. Pour it into the pan with 600ml/1 pint/2½ cups water. Bring to the boil and add the fennel. Reduce the heat, cover and cook for about 10 minutes, or until tender.

Meanwhile, prepare the couscous. Stir the salt into th