Couscous With Seven Vegetables

By á-174942

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 tablespoon mild olive oil
• 2 large onions quartered, sliced
• 2 pounds skinless chicken thighs
• 2 pounds veal or lamb shanks 3/4" to 1" sections (or meaty lamb neck)
• 2 1/2 quarts water
• 2 large tomatoes peeled, seeded, and quartered - (abt 2 cups)
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger
• 2 cinnamon sticks - (abt 3" ea)
• 1 teaspoon mild paprika
• 1 large pinch cayenne or more to taste
• 1 large pinch saffron threads toasted, and pulverized in a mortar
• 10 sprigs parsley tied with
• 10 sprigs cilantro in cheesecloth bag
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly-ground black pepper
• 2 fat carrots scraped, quartered, and cut into 2" lengths
• 3 medium turnips or boiling potatoes peeled and quartered
• 3 fat celery ribs cut into 2" sections (or 1 medium fennel bulb with a little
• of the stalk, cut into large chunks
• [scrape the outer layer of the fennel bulb if it is tough])
• 2 large zucchini halved, and cut into 2" sections
• 1 pound butternut squash peeled, seeded and cut into 3" pieces
• 2 cups canned chickpeas drained
• 1 recipe Steamed Couscous (see recipe)
• Harissa or another pure chile paste

Details

Servings 8

Preparation

Step 1

In a heavy stockpot, heat the butter with the oil over medium heat and sauté the onions, stirring, for 5 minutes.

Add the chicken and the veal or lamb and cook, turning the meats, until they are opaque, about 5 minutes per side.

Add the water, tomatoes, ginger, cinnamon sticks, paprika, cayenne, saffron, the bag of parsley and cilantro, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, skim off the foam, cover and simmer over low heat until the chicken is tender, 45 to 50 minutes. With a slotted spoon, remove the chicken to a bowl so it doesn't overcook. Cover and keep warm.

Continue cooking the broth until the veal or lamb is tender, about 1 hour longer. (While the meat is cooking, start preparing the couscous.) Remove the meat.

Add the carrots, turnips and celery to the broth. Raise the heat until it comes to a simmer, then lower the heat and cook for 15 minutes.

Add the zucchini, squash and chickpeas; raise the heat again until the liquid returns to a simmer. Lower the heat and cook until the vegetables are tender but not mushy, about 20 minutes more. As vegetables are done, remove them to a bowl.

Return the chicken and meat to the pot until warmed through and adjust seasonings to taste. Discard the cheesecloth bag. (The broth and vegetables can be prepared a day ahead.)

If necessary, reheat the broth, meats and vegetables. Mound the steamed couscous on a large platter. Make a big well in the middle and pile some of the vegetables into it. Arrange the meat and chicken around the couscous and scatter chickpeas around it. Moisten with about 1 cup of the broth. If you like, mix 1 cup broth with 1 1/2 to 2 tablespoons harissa to serve on the side. Serve the rest of the vegetables and broth in a large, deep bowl, accompanied by the harissa.

This recipe yields 8 servings.

Each serving (without couscous): 374 calories; 36 grams protein; 27 grams carbohydrates; 6 grams fiber; 14 grams fat; 4 grams saturated fat; 121 mg. cholesterol; 1,101 mg. sodium.