ORANGE PISTACHIO COUSCOUS
Surprisingly, this couscous recipe has its origins in Italy. I was in Sicily, deep in the land of linguini, when out came couscous as part of our meal. "Couscous?" I thought. "That's Moroccan, not Italian." Well, it turns out that every invading army passing through Sicily left a bit of its cuisine behind. And couscous, despite the exotic name, is actually a tiny, beadlike pasta. I love it because it's easy to prepare-no huge pots of boiling water necessary, just a little steam or hot broth and, in 10 minutes, voila! It's also so soft and delicious in the mouth, like a gentle massage. Pistachios are my secret ingredient here. Most people think of them as something you only see at a ballgame or in ice cream, but their buttery texture, great vitamin content, and wonderful pale green coloring make them a great choice anytime. I love to put a dollop of Sweet and Savory Yogurt (page 189) on top of this dish. This recipe works beautifully with a drizzle of Moroccan Pesto (page 186).
Yield serves 6
Number Of Ingredients 14
Steps:
- Preheat the oven to 325°F.
- Spread the pistachios in an even layer on a sheet pan and bake for 7 to 10 minutes, until aromatic and slightly browned. Let cool.
- Meanwhile, combine the couscous and boiling broth in a bowl, cover tightly with plastic wrap, and let sit for about 5 minutes, until the liquid is absorbed. Add the cumin, coriander, salt, and pepper and stir and fluff with a fork. Spread the couscous on a sheet pan, rake with a fork, and let cool to room temperature.
- Combine the couscous, mint, scallions, lemon juice, orange juice, orange zest, olive oil, raisins, and pistachios and mix well, then do a FASS check. You may need to add a pinch or two of salt, a squeeze of lemon, or a dash of olive oil to balance the flavors.
- Make this a meal in a bowl by adding 1 cup of cooked chickpeas when you stir everything together.
- This dish benefits from being made ahead of time. The flavor deepens as it sits.
- Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 4 days.
- (per serving)
- Calories: 265
- Total Fat: 10.3g (1.3g saturated, 5.9g monounsaturated)
- Carbohydrates: 40g
- Protein: 7g
- Fiber: 6g
- Sodium: 435mg
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