Spicy Vegetable Couscous

[Guest guest]

Spicy Vegetable Couscous

 

1/3 pound dried chick-peas or white beans, washed, picked over, soaked overnight

or for several hours, and drained

1 large or 2 small onions, sliced

3 to 4 garlic cloves, minced or put through a press

2 leeks, white part only, carefully cleaned and sliced

1 bay leaf

6 cups water

1 pound tomatoes, peeled and coarsely chopped

1 fresh jalapeno or other hot green pepper, seeded and sliced

1/2 tsp. saffron threads

3/4 pound carrots, thickly sliced

3/4 pound turnips, peeled and cut into wedges

salt

freshly ground black pepper

3/4 pound zucchini, thickly sliced

cayenne

2 heaping cups couscous

1/2 cup water

1 bunch cilantro, chopped

juice of 1/2 lemon, optional

whole sprigs of cilantro and harissa sauce, for garnish

 

Combine the beans, onion, half the garlic, leeks, bay leaf, and water in a

large, heavy-bottomed soup pot or a couscoussier. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce

the heat, simmer 1 hour. Add the tomatoes, jalapeno, saffron, remaining garlic,

carrots, turnips, salt and pepper to taste. Cover and simmer another hour. Add

the zucchini and cayenne to taste. Simmer for another 30 minutes, or until the

squash is tender. Adjust the seasonings.

Place the couscous in a large bowl or a casserole. Combine 2 cups broth from the

vegetable mixture and 1/2 cup water. Gradually sprinkle this onto the couscous.

Add more water if necessary to cover the couscous. Let the couscous sit for 20

minutes; stir with a wooden spoon or your hands every 5 minutes or more to

prevent lumping. The couscous should swell and soften. Add salt to taste. Heat

the cooked couscous through for 15 to 20 minutes in the top part of your

couscoussier, or in a strainer or steamer that fits tightly over your soup pot,

or in a covered baking dish in a medium oven, or in a microwave for 1 to 2

minutes.

Just before serving, bring the vegetable mixture back to a simmer and stir in

the chopped cilantro and optional lemon juice. To serve, spoon the couscous into

warmed wide flat soup bowls and ladle on a generous helping of soup. Garnish

with sprigs of cilantro and pass the harissa, with a small bowl of broth so that

people can dissolve the harissa in a spoonful before adding it to the couscous.

Serves 4.