COUSCOUS WITH CHICKEN AND LAMB

Couscous With Chicken and Lamb image

Provided by Craig Claiborne and Pierre Franey

Time 2h

Yield 10 to 12 servings

Number Of Ingredients 19

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Ingredients

2 pounds couscous
1 1/2 pounds leeks, white and light green parts, halved lengthwise and then cut crosswise into 1 1/2-inch pieces (almost 5 cups)
1 1/4 pounds celery ribs, trimmed and cut crosswise into 1 1/2-inch pieces (almost 5 cups)
3 or 4 large carrots (about 1 1/2 pounds), trimmed, peeled, halved lengthwise and cut crosswise into 1-inch pieces (about 4 cups)
3 white turnips (about 1 1/4 pounds), peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes (about 3 1/2 cups)
1 large onion (about 1 pound), peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes (about 3 1/2 cups)
1 eggplant, about 1 pound
1 zucchini, about 1 pound
2 sweet peppers, preferably 1 red and 1 green, each weighing about 1/3 pound
1 acorn squash, about 1 pound
2 tablespoons olive oil
Salt and black pepper, to taste
3 1/2 pounds lean shoulder of lamb cut into 1 1/2-inch cubes
3 quarts lamb broth (see recipe)
12 lamb meatballs (see recipe)
1 cut-up roast chicken for couscous (see recipe)
2 cups freshly cooked or canned chickpeas
Harissa (see recipe)
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature

Steps:

Place the couscous in a mixing bowl, and add about 1 1/3 cups cold water, stirring it with your fingers until all of the couscous is dampened. Let the moistened couscous rest for about 15 minutes. Meanwhile, bring a large quantity of water to the boil in a large pot in which you can fit a colander (or use a traditional couscoussiere).
Drain the couscous in the colander, and crumble it with your fingers to break up any lumps. Place the colander containing the couscous on top of the pot of boiling water. Let it steam about 20 minutes. Empty the couscous into a mixing bowl and add 8 tablespoons butter at room temperature. Stir quickly and thoroughly until grains of cereal are coated with butter.
Trim off the ends of the eggplant and zucchini. Do not peel. Cut the eggplant and zucchini in half lengthwise. Cut both vegetables into 1 1/2-inch lengths. There should be about 6 cups eggplant and 3 cups zucchini.
Remove the core from the peppers. Split each in half, and remove the white veins and the seeds. Cut the peppers into 1-inch cubes. There should be about 3 cups.
Split the acorn squash in half. Scrape out the fibers and seeds from the center. Cut away the stem. Cut the unskinned vegetable into 1-inch cubes. There should be about 4 cups.
Heat a large skillet and add the oil. When it is quite hot, add the lamb, sprinkling with salt and pepper, and cook, turning the pieces occasionally, about 10 minutes.
Put the lamb into a large kettle and add the lamb broth. Bring to the boil and cook about 50 minutes.
Put the leeks, celery, carrots, turnips and onion in a second kettle. Strain all the lamb broth over this. Let the cubed lamb remain in the first kettle. Bring the broth and vegetable mixture to the boil. Cook over moderately high heat about 15 minutes. Add the remaining vegetables and the roast chicken. Cover and let cook about 8 minutes.
Add the cubed lamb, meatballs and chickpeas to the stew, and continue cooking 5 minutes.
To serve, remove the meats (chicken pieces, meatballs, lamb cubes) from the stew. Spoon an equal portion of the hot couscous cereal into warm soup plates. Spoon an equal portion of the meats and vegetables onto each serving. Spoon some of the harissa into a small bowl and add a ladle of soup onto it. Blend. Add the harissa according to individual taste.