Couscous With Lamb Onions And Raisins Recipes

Steps:

• Cook 2 cups Israeli couscous as the label directs; drain. Saute 1 diced onion in olive oil with a pinch of cinnamon until golden, 5 minutes. Add 1 cup golden raisins and 2 tablespoons water and cook 2 minutes; toss with the couscous and a handful each of sliced almonds and chopped parsley. Season with salt and pepper.

Steps:

• Let the raisins soak in warm water for about 20 minutes. Meanwhile, put the sliced onion in a small cooking pot with water to cover, and boil gently for about 25 minutes, until the onion is soft and the water has evaporated. Stir in the butter, olive oil, and honey, and cook another 5 minutes, until golden and caramelized. While the onion is cooking, prepare the couscous by bringing 3/4 cup water to a boil in a small cooking pot and sprinkling in the couscous. Boil for 1 minute, add the salt and butter, then stir and cover. Now heat the shank meat in its cooking sauce.
• When all is ready, spoon out the couscous onto a warm dinner plate, moisten it with a little of the lamb sauce, then make an indentation and spoon the meat and the rest of the sauce into it along with the honey/sweet onion/raisin mix, and scatter the almonds on top.

Steps:

• Rub the lamb with half the harissa paste. Heat the oil in a frying pan and fry the lamb for 3 mins on each side for medium-rare, or a little longer for well-done. Lift the meat out of the pan and tip in the remaining harissa, the dried fruit and nuts, couscous and chickpeas, then stir to coat in the paste. Take the pan off the heat and pour in the stock. Stir briefly, return the lamb to the pan and cover with a lid or tightly-fitting foil for 10 mins until the couscous has absorbed all the liquid.
• Fluff up the couscous with a fork, season to taste and fold the mint leaves through to serve.

Steps:

• Place the lamb, onion, ginger and turmeric in the bottom of a couscoussier or a large pot that can be fitted with a steamer. Add the butter or oil, season with salt and pepper and cook over medium heat about 5 minutes, stirring from time to time.
• Add 12 cups water, the tomatoes, saffron, cinnamon sticks and cayenne pepper. Bring to a simmer and cook, covered, for an hour.
• While the lamb mixture is cooking, place the couscous in a bowl. Gradually stir in 4 cups water, then drain. Spread the moistened couscous in a large flat pan or dish with sides. Allow the moist couscous to sit 10 to 15 minutes, then break up any lumps with a fork or your fingers.
• Remove the lid from the couscoussier or pot and place the perforated section or the steamer on top. Take a length of cheesecloth or other cloth, moisten it and fit it tightly around the seam between the two parts of the pot, to prevent steam from escaping. Spoon half the couscous into the top section and when the steam starts rising through it, add the remaining couscous. Steam, uncovered, for 15 minutes.
• Remove the top of the couscoussier and replace the cover on the bottom pot. Dump the steamed couscous back into the flat pan. Allow it to cool a few minutes, then gradually sprinkle it with a cup of cold water and season it with about 1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste. Using your fingers, gently work the couscous to break up any lumps. Spread it evenly and allow it dry for up to an hour.
• Add the turnips, carrots and raisins to the pot. Tie the parsley and coriander together, and add them. Simmer, covered, for 45 minutes.
• After about 2 hours' cooking, the lamb should be tender. Cut the zucchini in half crosswise and cut each piece in half lengthwise. Add the zucchini to the pot, and follow with the pumpkin. Drain the chick peas, and add them. Check the seasonings in the pot. If necessary, add a little more water, enough to keep the ingredients covered with liquid.
• Replace the steamer top on the pot and wrap it again with the cloth. Rake the couscous once more, then return half of it to the steamer. When the steam begins to rise, add the remaining couscous. Steam, uncovered, 15 minutes. The couscous should be light, fluffy and tender.
• To serve, spoon half the couscous onto a large round platter. Make a well in the center. With a slotted spoon remove the pieces of lamb from the pot and pile them in the center. Top them with some of the vegetables. Mound the rest of the couscous over these ingredients. Then, place the remaining vegetables around the couscous and on top of it. Discard the parsley and coriander.
• Reheat the broth briefly, and spoon it into 1 or 2 bowls. Serve the couscous with the broth on the side and, if desired, hot pepper sauce.

Steps:

• Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat.
• Working in batches if needed, add the lamb shanks and cook until browned on each side, about 15 minutes. (Make sure that the oil is very hot before adding the meat; you should hear a sizzle when the meat touches the pan, otherwise it isn't hot enough.) The meat will be released naturally from the pan once browned on one side, so don't be tempted to turn it beforehand. Transfer the browned lamb shanks to a dish and set aside until ready to use.
• Reduce the heat under the pot to medium, add the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil, the onion, garlic, ras el hanout, salt, cinnamon and saffron and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Return the lamb shanks to the pan, add the stock and bring to a boil over high heat. (The meat of the shanks should be mostly covered, but not necessarily fully submerged in the stock.) Cover the pan, reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer gently, stirring occasionally, until the meat is fully cooked and fork tender, about 2 hours, depending on the size of your shanks. If it looks like there isn't enough liquid in the pan and the tagine is drying out at any point during the cooking process, add a couple tablespoons of water.
• Meanwhile, heat the oven to 400 degrees. Spread the almonds out on a cookie sheet and roast for 10 to 12 minutes or until lightly golden, giving them a good stir halfway through to make sure that they roast evenly. Remove from the oven and leave until cool enough to handle, then grind using a food processor or crush with a rolling pin until coarsely ground. Set aside until ready to serve.
• Once the lamb shanks are fully cooked, remove them from the pan and set aside. Add the raisins and honey to the sauce and gently stir to combine. Cook, uncovered, over medium-low heat for about 35 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce has reduced to a syrup-like consistency and the raisins are plump.
• When the sauce is ready, return the lamb shanks to the pan to warm them through and coat them with the sauce. Garnish with almonds and serve immediately with fluffy couscous or crusty bread.

Steps:

• Put the raisins in a small bowl and cover with lukewarm water. Soak for about 20 minutes. Drain.
• Melt the butter in a saucepan over low heat and add the onion. Cook and stir until wilted but not brown. Add the boiling water, raisins, lemon juice and cumin. Bring to a boil, remove from the heat and add the couscous. Add salt. Cover and let stand for 5 minutes. Uncover and fluff the couscous with a fork.

Steps:

• In a 3-quart saucepan, combine 1 1/4 cups water with cinnamon, turmeric, cumin, salt, raisins and butter; bring to a boil.
• Stir in couscous; remove from heat.
• Add pine nuts, then cover.
• Let stand 5 minutes.
• Using a fork, fluff couscous and place in a serving bowl.

Steps:

• Make lamb stew:
• Pat lamb dry. Heat oil in a 7- to 8-quart heavy pot over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then brown lamb in 3 batches, transferring to a bowl.
• Add onions to pot and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden, about 10 minutes. Stir in lamb with any juices that have accumulated in bowl, tomatoes, tomato juice, salt, black pepper, chile, herbs, and saffron and simmer, covered, 1 1/2 hours.
• Stir in carrots, turnips, bell peppers, and pumpkin and simmer, covered, 30 minutes. Stir in zucchini and chickpeas and simmer, covered, until zucchini is tender, 20 to 25 minutes.
• Make spicy tomato sauce:
• Pour 1 cup broth from pot into a small heavy saucepan and add tomato paste, whisking until smooth. Simmer, stirring, until thick, about 10 minutes, then stir in paprika, rose petals, and cayenne.
• Cook and serve couscous:
• Bring water to a boil with butter and salt in a 4-quart heavy saucepan. Stir in couscous, cover, and remove from heat. Let stand 5 minutes, then fluff with a fork. Mound couscous on a platter and top with stew, using a slotted spoon. Serve broth and tomato sauce on the side.