A Moroccan-inspired side of couscous with pistachios and dried apricots
do you like couscous
I recently had a particularly good meal at a local restaurant that served grilled chicken with a side of couscous that had been tossed with toasted pistachios and some harissa. I ate every last grain of semolina on my plate.
It would also pair well with a Moroccan Chicken Tagine. The dried apricots provide a tingly sweetness that harmonises well with pistachios, lemon and onions.
Do you have a favorite couscous preparation? Please let us know in the comments.
Couscous with pistachios and apricots
This recipe calls for packaged couscous, which is available at most U.S. supermarkets. This couscous is pre-cooked semolina that requires minimal preparation. Cooking raw couscous is a much more involved process that we won’t cover here in this recipe.
*If you only have shelled roasted pistachios available, use those and skip step 2 in the method guide.
ingredients
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1/2 Cup Red onion, chopped
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1/4 Cup lemon juice
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1 10 ounce box couscousabove 1 1/3 cups
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2 tablespoon Extra virgin olive oildivided
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1 teaspoon Saltplus more to taste
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1/2 Cup peeled raw pistachios*
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10 dried apricotschopped
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1/3 Cup parsley, chopped
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Optional 2 teaspoon Harissaprepared or homemade (see this harissa recipe by Paula Wolfert)
method
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Soaking chopped onion in lemon juice:
Place the chopped onion in a small bowl. Pour the lemon juice over the onions, set aside and let the onions soak in the lemon juice.
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Roast pistachios:
In a small skillet over medium-high heat, toast the pistachios until lightly browned and fragrant. (Be careful when toasting nuts, they can burn quickly if you’re not careful!) Remove from heat and transfer to a small bowl to cool.
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Cook couscous:
Place 2 cups of water in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil. Add a tablespoon of olive oil and a teaspoon of salt to the water. Once the salt has dissolved, stir in the couscous, turn off the heat and cover the pot. Remove the pot from the hot stove and let the couscous steam for 5-6 minutes.
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Prepare the ingredients for the salad:
Place couscous in a large bowl and fluff with a fork. Stir in harissa if using. Stir in the pistachios, chopped apricots, and parsley. Stir in red onion and lemon juice. Add another tablespoon of olive oil, stir well and add salt to taste. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Links:
Cherry Tomato Couscous, from 101 Cookbooks
Couscous with Chickpeas, Fennel and Citrus from The Kitchn
Lemon Saffron Couscous from The Shiksa in the Kitchen
| nutritional information (per serving) | |
|---|---|
| 223 | calories |
| 9g | Fat |
| 31g | carbohydrates |
| 6g | protein |
