VEGETABLE COUSCOUS WITH HARISSA

Vegetable Couscous with Harissa image

Provided by Food Network

Time 1h45m

Yield 10 to 12 servings

Number Of Ingredients 35

Ingredients

1/2 cup olive oil, divided
3 portobello mushrooms, wiped clean, gills removed, and thickly sliced
1 red onion, quartered
1 celery root cut into large chunks
2 white turnips, peeled and quartered
2 leeks, white and green parts, cleaned and cut into 1/4-inch-thick pieces
1 medium head cauliflower, separated into florets
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon dried marjoram
3 tablespoons Ras El Hanout, recipe follows, divided
5 cups vegetable stock
2 cups canned chickpeas, drained
5 cups couscous
Salt, to taste
10 fresh mint leaves
2 tablespoons ground ginger
2 teaspoons ground black pepper
2 teaspoons ground nutmeg
2 teaspoons ground allspice
2 teaspoons ground mace
2 teaspoons ground cardamom
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons ground turmeric
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper
1 teaspoon caraway seeds
1 teaspoon coriander seeds
1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
2 cloves garlic, quartered
Salt to taste
3 tablespoons sweet paprika
1 tablespoon red pepper flakes
2 tablespoons dried mint leaves
1 tablespoon olive oil

Steps:

Heat 1/4 cup olive oil in a medium skillet until moderately hot but not smoking. Add mushrooms and cook, stirring until softened and just beginning to brown. Remove from heat and set aside.
Heat remaining 1/4 cup olive oil in a large heavy pan until moderately hot, but not smoking. Add next seven ingredients. Stir in 1 tablespoon Ras El Hanout. Cook, covered over medium heat until partially cooked, about 10 minutes. Stir in 3 cups of vegetable stock.
Continue cooking until the vegetables are tender but not over-done, 20 to 30 minutes. During the last 10 minutes of the cooking, stir in the reserved portobello mushrooms and the chickpeas. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Cover to keep warm.
Rinse couscous in a sieve, add 2 tablespoons Ras el Hanout and salt, to taste. Let stand for 20 minutes, then separate the grains with your fingers.
Bring remaining 2 cups of vegetable stock to a simmer. Add couscous and cook over medium heat to steam and heat through.
To serve, mound couscous in the center of platter and surround with the vegetables. Garnish with mint leaves.
Mix together thoroughly.
In a small dry skillet over medium heat, toast caraway, coriander and cumin seeds until very aromatic, about 2 to 3 minutes. Shake the pan often to prevent burning. Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature. Grind to a fine powder in a spice grinder, coffee grinder, blender or with a mortar and pestle. Add garlic and salt and grind again until smooth. Add sweet paprika, red pepper flakes, mint leaves and olive oil and grind until the ingredients are well combined. The paste will be very thick and dry. Transfer paste to a small jar and cover with olive oil. Refrigerate for up to 6 months.