Couscous

Couscous is the national dish of Morocco and is served throughout the Middle East, North Africa and Mediterranean.  The grain is made from durum wheat which has been ground and then rolled in flour, usually cooked by steaming.  Traditionally the couscous was steamed three times, each time having a break from the heat to be rolled by hand and separated, in order to prevent sticking.

A couscousiere is a large double boiler with holes in the bottom of the upper pot which allows its contents to steam while other meat dishes cook below. A couscousiere may be improvised by lining a metal colander with cheese cloth and placing the colander in a 6- or 8-quart pot so that the handles rest on the rim. A piece of heavy-duty aluminum foil can serve as a lid.  Or you can simply cook in a pan with water, fluffing the couscous at the end of the cooking.

Add one cup couscous to 1 1/4 c. chicken broth and steam about 5 minutes or if using the stove-top method, boil the water, add the couscous, cover and let sit 5-10 minutes depending on the size of the couscous.  Fluff by hand or with a fork in a large bowl, so each kernel separates.

Diced roasted red peppers, halved cherry tomatoes, and fresh mint can also be incorporated, together with a teaspoon of grated orange zest.

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