I made a wonderful Couscous yesterday to bring to my book club meeting. We read a book called The Diver's Clothes Lie Empty. The book is set in Casablanca, Morocco. Our club has evolved to trying to prepare foods that are either mentioned in the books we read or served in the location of the setting. I regret that I didn't photograph this dish, but will next time when I make it again.
The recipe in general came from The Gourmet Cookbook. The recipe called for Moroccan Style Preserved Lemon Wedges which should have been made 5 days ahead and since I didn't have time I substituted Lemon Zest and Lemon Juice.
Here is how to make the dish.
Preheat Oven to 425.
Cut 1 1/2 Lbs Butternut Squash to a 1/4" dice. Toss with Olive Oil and roast for 15 minutes, turning every 5 minutes.
While roasting is happening, cook 1 1/2 Cups Plain Couscous. (I used a 5oz box of Whole Foods 365 Couscous). Boil together 1 1/2 Cups Water and 1/2 C Chicken Broth (use Vegetable Broth if making this for vegetarians) with 1/4 tsp Salt, 1/4 tsp Cinnamon and 1 Tbl Olive Oil. Once boiling, slowly stir in couscous and remove from heat, keep covered and set aside for 5 minutes to cook. Remove lid and stir with a fork to keep from clumping.
Meanwhile, toast 1/2 Cup Pinenuts in Olive Oil in a small skillet. Chopped 1/4 Cup Parsley and set asside and measure out 1/2 Cup White Raisins.
To finish the dish, Dice 3/4 Cup Onion. Preheat a large skillet over medium heat. Add 1-2 Tbl Olive Oil. Add Onion and cook until light brown. Add Roasted Squash and stir. Add Couscous and stir to combine. Add Toasted Pine Nuts, Raisins and Parsley. Add S&P to taste. Remove to a large flat rimmed platter to keep from continuing to cook. Serve immediately or at room temperature. Enjoy!!
