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Pumpkin Couscous with Lamb
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Pumpkin Couscous with Lamb
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Paula Wolfert fell in love with Morocco more than 40 years ago, and she has been Moroccan cuisine¿s greatest champion and educator ever since. Her wonderful book is devoted to "the Moroccan food I like the best". The book is still in print and easily found, and is full of wonderful recipes that capture the heart and soul of Moroccan cooking.
This is a superb lamb couscous from Couscous and Other Good Food from Morocco, by Paula Wolfert. I like the fact that it is both ultra-refined and rustic at the same time: ultra-refined because its relatively few ingredients suggest a great purity of gastronomic thinking, and rustic because the inclusion of pumpkin is reminiscent of the earliest vegetable couscous preparations of the Berbers.
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1/2 cup dried chickpeas, soaked overnight
4 cup (1-1/2 lbs) North African couscous
1-1/2 pound lamb neck, cut into 5 pieces
4 to 5 large yellow onions
1 tablespoon Fleur de Sel Marocaine
1-1/2 to 2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon ground ginger
2 pinches pulverized Moroccan saffron
1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
1 cup sweet butter
1 pound carrots
1-1/2 pound pumpkin
1/4 cup superfine sugar
1/2 pound raisins
Ground Ceylon cinnamon (optional)
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1. Cover the dried chickpeas with water and soak overnight.
2. The next day, drain the chickpeas and cook in fresh water for 1 hour. Drain, cool, and remove the skins by submerging them in a bowl of cold water and gently rubbing them between the fingers. The skins will rise to the top of the water - discard them.
3. Prepare the couscous by following Step 1 (the first washing and drying) in the Master Instructions for Cooking Couscous (see below).
4. To prepare the broth, place the lamb in the bottom of a couscousiere. Quarter and slice the onions lengthwise. Add to the lamb, along with the salt, spices, half the butter, 2 quarts water, and the drained chickpeas. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat, cover and simmer 1 hour.
5. Meanwhile, prepare the vegetables: scrape the carrots, halve lengthwise, and cut into 2-1/2 inch lengths. Peel and core the pumpkin, then cut into 2-inch chunks.
6. Follow Steps 2 and 3 (the first steaming and second drying) in the Master Instructions for Cooking Couscous (see below).
7. Add the carrots, sugar, and raisins to the broth. Continue cooking 30 minutes. Up to this point, the dish can be prepared in advance.
8. Thirty minutes before serving, add the pumpkin and the drained peeled canned chickpeas (if using) to the broth. Bring to a boil, reseal the two couscousiere containers with cheesecloth, and steam the couscous another 20 minutes.
9. Dump the couscous onto a large serving dish and toss with the remaining butter, using a fork to smooth out any lumps. Spread out and form a well in the center. With a slotted spoon, lift out pieces of meat (discarding loose bones). Cut the meat into small pieces and place in the well. Cover with the vegetables. Taste the broth for seasoning and readjust. Strain the broth over the couscous and vegetables and serve at once.
NOTE: some people sprinkle a little cinnamon over the vegetables just before serving.
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How to Cook Couscous
These are the master instructions for handling couscous from Couscous and Other Good Food from Morocco, by Paula Wolfert. The word couscous is used for both the finished dish and the tiny semolina pasta used to make it. Though the instructions look complicated, the principle behind them is very simple: all the wetting, drying, raking, aerating and steaming of semolina grains is done with the purpose of swelling them with as much water as possible without allowing them to become lumpy or soggy. But you must be careful: the smaller and fresher the couscous grain, the less water is needed.
1. First Washing & Drying of Couscous: wash the couscous in a large, shallow pan by pouring water over the grain in a ratio of 3 parts water to 1 part grain. Stir quickly with your hands and then drain off excess water through a sieve. Return the couscous grains to the pan, smooth them out, and leave them to swell for between 10 and 20 minutes. After roughly 10 minutes, begin, with cupped, wet hands to work the grains by lifting up handfuls of grain, rubbing them gently and letting them fall back into the pan. This process should break up any lumps that may have formed. Then rake the couscous with your fingers to circulate it and help the grains to swell.
2. First Steaming of the Couscous: Dampen a strip of cheesecloth, dust it with flour, and twist it into a strip the length of the circumference of the rim of the bottom part of the couscousiere. Use this to seal the perforated top or colander on top of the pot. Check all sides for effective sealing: the top and bottom should fit together snugly, so that steam rises only through the holes. The perforated top should not touch the broth below. Slowly dribble one-quarter of the swollen couscous grains into the steamer, allowing them to form a soft mound. Steam 5 minutes and gently add the remaining couscous. When all the grains are in the steamer, lower heat to moderate and steam 20 minutes. Do not cover the couscous while it steams.
3. Second Drying of the Couscous: remove the top part of the couscousiere (or the colander). Dump the couscous into the large, shallow pan and spread out with a wooden spoon. Sprinkle 1/2 to 1 cup cold water and 1 teaspoon salt over the grains. Separate and break up lumps by lifting and stirring the grains gently. Oil your hands lightly and rework the grains - this helps to keep each grain separate. Smooth the couscous out and allow it to dry for at least 10 minutes. If the couscous feels too dry, then add another cup of water by handful sprinkles, and rake the couscous well before each addition. If you are preparing couscous in advance, at this point let it dry and cover it with a damp cloth. It can wait many hours. (Very important note: if the stew in the bottom of the couscousiere is fully cooked and well seasoned and the sauce reduced to the proper amount prior to the final steaming of couscous grains, you should transfer the stew and sauce to a separate saucepan, keeping it warm, and perform the final steaming over boiling water.)
4. If you want to serve right away, allow the couscous to dry for 10 minutes, then pile it back into the couscousiere top, being sure to reseal the two containers with cheesecloth, for its final steaming of 20 minutes. If you have prepared steps 1 to 3 in advance, 30 minutes before serving break up lumps of couscous by working the grains lightly between your wet fingers. Steam the couscous in the couscousiere top for 20 minutes, as previously directed.
NOTE: each time you place the top or colander over the pot, use cheesecloth to reseal the top two containers. |
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| Serves 6 to 8 |
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