# ISO Couscous Ideas



## chave982 (Jan 10, 2008)

So I use couscous a lot, mostly because of how easy it is: bring water to a boil, add couscous, stir, cover, remove from heat, wait 5 minutes, done. I usually just make a simple bed of it on a plate to serve a piece of meat on or whatever. 

I was wondering what options there are to jazz it up a bit, other than just adding salt and pepper. Thanks!


----------



## Lizannd (Jan 10, 2008)

*I saute some vegetables then use broth instead of*

water.  I almost always start with onions, cooked in a little olive oil.
I also do it with onion, garlic, peppers and tomatoes, as if I was making
spanish rice. I have added celery, sage, onions to give it a Thanksgiving
stuffing flavor.


----------



## college_cook (Jan 10, 2008)

I like it with pine nuts and herbs.


----------



## Yakuta (Jan 10, 2008)

I had this super delicious couscous for lunch and while I don't have the recipe from the place I can pretty much tell by the flavor what was in it. 

Firstly there were roasted veggies - zucchini (yellow and green) and bell peppers red ones and some onions.  So veggies were cut into small chunks and roasted with olive oil and the flavors were super concentrated. 

That was mixed with cooked couscous with some rosted garlic, parsley and had some almonds and walnut chunks in there as well and the couscous had a tiny bit of honey in it.  It was served at room temperature as a salad but I almost ate it as a meal at the buffet.


----------



## Robo410 (Jan 10, 2008)

simple: broth mint and peas

less simple: broth and spices and roasted veggies

fanciest: steamed with aromatics and served with a tagine of savory meat and veggies


----------



## *amy* (Jan 10, 2008)

You can replace the water with chicken broth. Make a couscous salad, stuff mushrooms, stuffed tomatoes, etc, etc., etc. I add pine nuts and/or raisins, shredded carrots... Even mangoes or apples are interesting. Here's are several ideas:

Near East - Rice Pilaf and Couscous


----------



## redkitty (Jan 10, 2008)

I make mine with veggie stock instead of water.  I add fresh chopped basil or flat leaf parsley.  If I'm eating it as a main dish I love adding feta cheese and sun dried tomatoes.  Pine nuts sound lush too!


----------



## GotGarlic (Jan 10, 2008)

I find couscous by itself to be incredibly bland, so I usually add sauteed onions and garlic and some of whatever herbs and/or spices I'm using in the main dish. I often add lemon zest and juice, too. And a sprinkling of pine nuts makes a great finish.


----------



## Clienta (Jan 10, 2008)

I make a curried couscous.....add celery, onion, chopped dried apricots, currants, chickpeas, grilled or rotisserie chicken.  I mix some curry powder with mayo & let it sit in the fridge while I chop everything & make the couscous.  Then I mix it all together & serve on a bed of greens.


----------



## Clienta (Jan 10, 2008)

Clienta said:


> I make a curried couscous.....add celery, onion, chopped dried apricots, currants, chickpeas, grilled or rotisserie chicken. I mix some curry powder with mayo & let it sit in the fridge while I chop everything & make the couscous. Then I mix it all together & serve on a bed of greens.


 
Oh sorry.....I forgot I also add a little peach jam or apricot jam to the mayo & curry mixture. And sprinkle salted peanuts on top of the couscous before serving.


----------



## Little Miss J (Jan 10, 2008)

I had some last night cold with my steak, I put in some sundried tomatoes, feta cheese, cucumber, red onion, coriander and lime juice.

I also like almond or pine nuts , dried apricots and whatever herbs I've got on hand plus a little lemon or lime juice and some verjuice.


----------



## *amy* (Jan 10, 2008)

*amy* said:


> You can replace the water with chicken broth. Make a couscous salad, stuff mushrooms, stuffed tomatoes, etc, etc., etc. I add pine nuts and/or raisins, shredded carrots... Even mangos or apples are interesting. Here's are several ideas:
> 
> Near East - Rice Pilaf and Couscous


 

And I forgot... 

Stuffed Peppers

Stuffed Eggplant
Couscous and Tomato Stuffed Eggplant
(Lemon zest Yum!)

Or Stuffed Zukes
raspberry eggplant: Couscous-Stuffed Globe Zucchini
(Feta & chickpeas Yum!)

(Aren't these globe zukes cute!)


----------



## larry_stewart (Jan 10, 2008)

Sometimes Ill make like a ' tabouli ' using couscous instead.
Ill prepare the couscous, let it cool down, add some chopped tomatoes, cucumbers, lemon, mint, olive oil, onions or scallions and sometimes feta and just mix it up, let it sit in the refrigerator a few hours...


----------



## Bilby (Jan 11, 2008)

My all time favourite couscous dish is:

Cook couscous in chicken stock. Drain and remove to a bowl that you can put a lid or a cover on to keep the couscous warm in, in which you have added a splash of olive oil and a dob of butter. Fork this through, adding more oil and/or butter as necessary, along with salt and pepper, parsley and chives.  Put to one side.  In a skillet, fry up some bacon pieces and add to the couscous.  Next, cook some scallops in a little bit of garlic and butter. Only just cook them on one side until they opaqueness is about half-way up the side of the scallop.  Turn over and cook very brief, just to colour this side.  Add to the couscous, along with a handful of halved cherry tomatoes. Mix well, taste for seasoning, and serve immediately.  You can also add some prawns into this mix as well, and a little bit of grated parmesan over the top when serving is quite nice too.


----------



## AllenOK (Jan 11, 2008)

I had to make up a batch of couscous at work for New Year's Eve.  The boss wanted a dried cherry couscous.  I measured out the water I needed, and added some dried cherries to that.  After about 20 minutes, when the cherries had rehydrated a bit, I put the whole thing on a burner and brought it up to a boil.  Add in the couscous, and I also added some toasted pine nuts, covered, and waited 5 minutes.  I was ok, but had I not been quite so rushed, I would have done a few more things to it as well.


----------

