What exciting things can I do with couscous?

JAMIEDODGER

I have only just discovered cous cous ( i know...where have i been!?)

So,......i have some cous cous.....now what?

I bought some of ainsleys to try and love it! now am looking for some ideas to try.....

any recipes would be greatly appreciated, thanks guys

JDxxxxxx

jobbingmusician

It's delicious and I never know why I don't use it more often!

Mix cooked c-c* with cucumber, othrr raw veg or roasted veg chopped small, salad dressing and use as a side dish, or stir in cooked meat or fish to make it into a main dish.

I find that it's best if you have some mint in there, and have a VERY cheap MSE way of doing this - use cheap mint sauce (about 17p a pot from Lidl!) as the base for a salad dressing. I find the 'core' ingredients for a tasty cous cous dish are the cous cous, this dressing and cucumber - anything else is just an added bonus.

HTH!

*Cooking instructions are probably on the bag. Cc varies a bit, but you can just stir boiling water into some varieties to cook it

Gingham_Ribbon

I give it a minute or 2 to simmer rather than putting boiling water over it. Not long enough to make it mushy, but long enough to soften it completely. I cook it with a bouquet garni 'teabag' in the water with it. But some people add stock instead of water.

Lillibet_2

I love it cooekd with lemon juice & a bit of zest & some fresh corriander, delish with salmon:D (or any fish for that matter;)) Also good with orange juice, sultanas & Morroccan five spice with lamb casserol for an authentic twist (C-C is Morrocan so anything lamb or Morrocan goes well with it). Also makes for a nice change with mixed peppers in it with chicken chasseur although a Frenchman would faint at this comination:rolleyes::D

Pink.

Hi Jamiedodger,

We have some older threads on cous cous that should give you some ideas:

Cous cous - sweet or savoury - ideas please!?

Cous cous

what can i do with cous cous

Pink

lynzpower

I dont use it often ( although I do enjoy it, it kida falls a bit off my radar) A couple of things Ive done with it.

1. Sliced pork fillet into medallions, and griddled, then served on bed of plain couscous with sugar snap peas/ green beans/ babycorn type veg with a cracked peppercorn & mushroom sauce ( knocked up with creme fraiche, milk, peppers sliced mush- simple)

2. Moroccan style veg casserole ( adapted from a weightwatchers recipe by me)

onions chopped large as they do in the chinese
aubergine, thin sliced & quartered
tin chopped toms ( value obv)
courgette sliced thickly
peppers chargrilled if you can be bothered, if not just cut into big chunks about size of matchbox
tin chick peas drained
garlic
oil
cumin

Slice aubergine, rince under tap in colander & sprinkle salt all over ( something to do with the bitterness of aubergines) leave for 10- mins

In large saucepan fry 2 cloves minced garlic in splash of oil. Add onions, put lid on and gently fry/saute till they start to turn clear. Add peppers, courg & aubergine chunks. Lightly fry for 5-10 mins

Add tin of chopped toms, large heaped teaspoon cumin and chickpeas.

Simmer on a low heat for say 20 mins. or transfer to casserole dish & put in oven. the veg should shrink a bit, if not add more chopped toms if you have em in.

Serve with cous cous & I served with turkey medallions, but any meat would do , or fine without too ( not that y OH can contemplate a meal witohut meat :rolleyes:

Really yummy and cheap too

Penny-Pincher!!

Couscous is very bland by itself. When we cook it we use chicken stock leftovers and this adds great flavour. Roasted veg goes nice with it but we often have it to bulk out a salad instead of rice. So we have a couscous salad or side dish of couscous, roasted veg, chopped lettuce/cucumber/onion and sometimes a chopped egg.

Chopped parsley or mint goes lovely with it.

HTH
PP
xx

JAMIEDODGER

thanks you guys....some great ideas there!!!

i will be trying them all in the next few weeks:)

honey28

If you have plain cous cous you can cook it as per instructions above and when cooked stir through a low fat yogurt for a low fat treat. I've just had some for breakfast and mixed through a vanilla muller light. For those following Slimming World this is a free green breakfast (thanks to Consultant on Lose Weight Thread on I wanna board for this.....)
The Ainsley Harriot ones are lovely as are Tesco's own flavoured one

Mandles

Dont forget to hydrate it first!...im not the best cook and didnt do this and put it in stuffed aubergines and it was disgusting.It was like eating gravel...Dur! ...cant believe it was that thick.