Best Cous Cous Alla Panzanella Recipes

PANZANELLA

Steps:

• Core the tomatoes and, if large, cut them into chunks; if small, halve or quarter them. Toss them gently with the shallot, garlic, oil, vinegar, 1 tablespoon salt, and pepper. Set aside until the tomatoes are very juicy, about 10 minutes.
• Fill a large bowl with ice water. Add the bread and set aside until soft, no more than 5 minutes. Using your hands, scoop the bread from the water, squeeze out as much water as possible, and rub it through your fingers into the tomatoes. Tear the basil over the salad and toss gently. (The bread salad can be served now or set aside at room temperature for a couple of hours.)
• Cook's Note It's easy to dry fresh bread. Tear it into chunks and microwave for 1 to 2 minutes. Or place the chunked bread on a baking sheet in a 250 degrees oven for a few minutes.
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COUS COUS UPMA

Steps:

• In a deep nonstick skillet set over moderate heat, warm the oil until it is hot.
• Add the mustard and cumin seeds, and cook, stirring, 1-minute. Add the gingerroot and garlic, and cook, stirring, 1 minute more. Add the onion and green bell pepper to the seasonings and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes.
• Add the green beans, tomatoes, and salt, and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes more. Add the water, bouillon cube, and salt, to taste. Bring to a boil, stirring, and add cous cous. Simmer, stirring occasionally, for 5 to 10 minutes, or until liquid is absorbed. Remove from heat, cover, and let stand 5 minutes. Before serving, stir in lemon juice and cilantro.

PANZANELLA

Steps:

• Spread 8 cups cubed crusty bread on a baking sheet and bake at 400˚ F until toasted, 8 to 10 minutes; let cool. Transfer the bread to a bowl and add 2 1/2 pounds chopped tomatoes, 1/2 sliced red onion, 1 cup torn basil, 2/3 cup olive oil and 1/4 cup each capers and red wine vinegar. Season with salt and pepper and gently toss.

MARILU'S COUS COUS

Steps:

• For the dough: Cous cous is cooked in a special double boiler called a couscousiera. A makeshift couscousiera can be made by placing a colander over a similar-size pot and sealing the two together with simple dough to prevent steam from escaping. To make the dough: Combine 1 cup flour with enough water to create dough. Roll the dough into a long rope and use as a seal.
• For the cous cous: Place half the durum wheat in a large bowl. Add splashes of water, salt, cinnamon, and extra-virgin olive oil, while stirring/raking the durum wheat in a circular motion with your hand. You should use approximately 1/2 the quantities of water, salt, cinnamon and extra-virgin olive oil at this point. Continue working in a circular motion, constantly stirring to moisten the grains evenly. Rub the mixture between your hands to remove any lumps that may form. If the mixture becomes too wet, add some more durum wheat, if it becomes too dry, add some more water. The mixture should form into small pellets. If you have not achieved small pellets, rub and rake some more. Add the remaining durum wheat, salt, cinnamon and extra-virgin olive oil and repeat the process above. Transfer the cous cous to a colander and embed the zest of 1 lemon in the cous cous. Rest the colander over a pot of boiling water. Let the cous cous steam for approximately 1 hour and 15 minutes. Serve with seafood, stewed meats and/or vegetables, or use as a base for Marilu's cous cous dessert recipe follows.
• Place the cooked cous cous, butter, sugar, pine nuts, raisins, almonds, hazelnuts, and water in a mixing bowl. Thoroughly combine all the ingredients. Cover the bowl and let rest for at least 1/2 an hour. Butter a ramekin to prevent sticking. Firmly pack some cous cous mixture in the ramekin and invert onto an individual dessert plate, so that the form of the cous cous is released from the ramekin. Sprinkle with icing sugar. Repeat for other individual plates and serve.