Couscous

Whether it's from Algeria, Tunisia or Morocco, couscous is all about sharing and celebrating with family and friends. Berbers celebrate the New Year with couscous, and colorful eggs are sprinkled throughout the dish.

What are the origins of couscous in France?

It's no coincidence that it's one of France's 10 favorite dishes, and has been known in France since the 16th century, when Rabelais wrote in 1534 "Force coscossons, et renfort de potages" (Gargantua, chap. XXXVII). In Toulon, it was known as courcousson in the early 17th century, and in Alexandre Dumas père's Grand dictionnaire de cuisine, General Dumas calls it coussou coussou.

Where does couscous come from?

It would appear that the origins of couscous are not as clear-cut as they might seem, and although the most logical theory is that couscous was discovered in the Maghreb, there are also references to China and West Africa (particularly Sudan). Traces of the couscoussier date back to 200 BC, but the most similar period would be the 11th century. The cultivation of wheat enabled the dish to spread throughout North Africa, until the 13th century, when it was introduced in Spain, particularly by the Moors.

Couscous

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Recipe for my half-Moroccan, half-Tunisian couscous

Couscous

Votes: 3 Rating: 4.67 You: Rate this recipe!

Print recipe

Recipe for my half-Moroccan, half-Tunisian couscous

Portions	Preparation time	Cooking time	Waiting time
4people	2-3hours	2-3hours	1-2time

Portions	Preparation time
4people	2-3hours

Cooking time	Waiting time
2-3hours	1-2time

• Kitchen Africa, Maghreb

Ingredients

• Preparing the marga (broth)
• 2 yellow onions
• 2 red bell pepper ripe
• 6 tomatoes ripe
• 2 Cs tomato paste (if your tomatoes are not very ripe)
• 2 cloves garlic
• 2 Cs ras el hanout 20 spices
• 1 Cs ground cumin
• 1 Cs brown sugar
• 3 Cs olive oil
• Couscous
• 4 chicken leg
• 4 lamb collar
• 4 merguez
• 4 pellets
• 1 CS olive oil
• 6 carrots
• 3 zucchini
• 1 sweet potato
• Honey sweets
• 50 g almonds
• 50 g dried apricots
• 50 g figs
• 50 g raisin raisins
• 2 cc powdered cinnamon (Failing that, 1 stick)
• 4 Cs honey
• Chickpeas with cumin
• 100 g chickpeas
• 2 Cs ground cumin
• 100 g spinach
• 100 g peeled tomatoes
• 1 onion
• 10 g thyme
• 10 g rosemary
• 1 clove garlic
• 1 Cs sodium bicarbonate
• Semolina
• 500 g Samia or Fenec fine semolina
• 5 Cs olive oil
• 500 ml cold water
• Onion confit
• 6 yellow onions
• 2 tbsp honey
• 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 1 tbsp brown sugar
• 1 cc powdered cinnamon

Portions: people

Units:MetricImperial U.S.

Ingredients Preparing the marga (broth) 2 yellow onions 2 red bell pepper ripe 6 tomatoes ripe 2 Cs tomato paste (if your tomatoes are not very ripe) 2 cloves garlic 2 Cs ras el hanout 20 spices 1 Cs ground cumin 1 Cs brown sugar 3 Cs olive oil Couscous 4 chicken leg 4 lamb collar 4 merguez 4 pellets 1 CS olive oil 6 carrots 3 zucchini 1 sweet potato Honey sweets 50 g almonds 50 g dried apricots 50 g figs 50 g raisin raisins 2 cc powdered cinnamon (Failing that, 1 stick) 4 Cs honey Chickpeas with cumin 100 g chickpeas 2 Cs ground cumin 100 g spinach 100 g peeled tomatoes 1 onion 10 g thyme 10 g rosemary 1 clove garlic 1 Cs sodium bicarbonate Semolina 500 g Samia or Fenec fine semolina 5 Cs olive oil 500 ml cold water Onion confit 6 yellow onions 2 tbsp honey 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar 1 tbsp brown sugar 1 cc powdered cinnamon Portions: people Units:MetricImperial U.S.

Kitchen Africa, Maghreb

Instructions

La marga

1. Slit the tomatoes crosswise at the top of the stalk, bring the water to the boil and throw in the tomatoes for a few minutes. Remove with a colander, run under cold water and remove the skin, which comes off easily.
2. Halve and seed tomatoes. Cut into centimetre-sized pieces. Set aside.
3. Cut peppers into 1cm strips, remove seeds and inner body. Cut onions into strips and sauté in a large pot with olive oil, be generous. Garlic, thyme and rosemary can also be added.
4. Throw in the tomatoes, peppers and spices and sauté for a few minutes until the tomatoes melt and give off their juice. Lower the heat slightly, add a little water and sugar and simmer for 1 hour.

Couscous

1. While the marga is simmering, prepare the vegetables by peeling all but the zucchinis, which retain their skins. Keep the carrots whole, and make generous chunks of zucchini and sweet potato.
2. Heat some olive oil and sear the various seasoned pieces of chicken and lamb neck, setting aside once the pieces have browned.
3. Transfer the warm marga to the couscoussier and add the pieces of meat, top up with stock and heat gently, then add the carrots. Half an hour later, add the zucchinis and sweet potato.
4. A total of 1h30 cooking time at a gentle simmer.

Chickpeas with cumin

1. Soak the chickpeas in water with the baking soda the day before.
2. Cook in water in a casserole dish for 50 minutes with a little bicarbonate, garlic and aromatic herbs. (thyme, rosemary,...)
3. Chop the onion and sauté in olive oil for 5 minutes. Add the cumin and spinach and cook for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
4. Add the chickpeas, tomato and cover with water. Leave to cook for 30 minutes.
5. Season with salt and spices, or add a little ras el Hanout.

Honey sweets

1. Soak the various ingredients in water with cinnamon for 12 hours.
2. Heat gently in a saucepan with the honey to reduce the volume of water and ensure that the fruit is well coated.

Semolina

1. Spread the semolina in a large dish, add a tablespoon of ras el hanout and one of fine salt, olive oil. Moisten semolina with cold water (approx. 25 cl). Leave to rest for 10'.
2. Break up the semolina and rub it in your hands to loosen the seeds. Place the semolina in the upper part of the couscoussier and steam the couscous for 20'.
3. Repeat the operation, spreading the semolina in the dish. Let it cool slightly before moistening it again with 15 cl of cold water. Leave to rest and break the seed after 10'. Rub in your hands and place back in the top of the couscoussier for 20'.
4. Repeat the operation, spreading the semolina out in the dish. Let it cool a little before wetting it again with the remaining cold water (be careful not to wet the seed too much, or your semolina will be unsuccessful). Leave to rest again and break off the seed after 10'. Rub into your hands and place back into the top of the couscoussier.
5. For purists, you can rub the seed with clarified butter in the third step.

Onion confit with cinnamon

1. Chop the onions and fry in olive oil for a good five minutes (be careful not to burn them).
2. sprinkle with sugar, add honey and balsamic vinegar, cook for 10', stirring frequently.
3. Simmer over low heat for a good hour, stirring occasionally.