BASIC COUSCOUS

By LaLaCooks

The Problem
Regardless of brand, the boxed couscous that’s ubiquitous stateside offers bland, blown-out pebbles that stick together in clumps.

The Goal
Fluffy, separate grains flavorful enough to earn everyday side-dish status.

The Solution
Using the “pilaf method” often applied to rice, we sautéed the grains in butter, allowing them to brown gently and uniformly and helping them cook up fluffy and separate. Plus, with butter in the pan, we could create a handful of variations by briefly sautéing all sorts of add-ins, like spices, garlic, shallots, and even grated carrot.

To bump up the flavor, we replaced half of the water with chicken broth. After absorbing the hot stock-based liquid, the couscous grains were flavorful enough to stand on the plate without a sauce. And, since the saucepan we’d used to sauté the couscous was already hot, we could just add the liquid at room temperature, eliminating the need to heat it in a separate pan. The residual heat from the pan boiled the liquid almost instantly, and after a brief rest and a fluff with a fork, the couscous was done—with much better flavor (and just minutes’ more effort) than we got from following the box’s instructions.

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2 cups couscous
• 1 cup water
• 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 teaspoon table salt
• Ground black pepper

Details

Servings 4
Adapted from cooksillustrated.com

Preparation

Step 1

Heat butter in medium saucepan over medium-high heat. When foaming subsides, add couscous and cook, stirring frequently, until grains are just beginning to brown, about 5 minutes. Add water, broth, and salt; stir briefly to combine, cover, and remove pan from heat. Let stand until grains are tender, about 7 minutes. Uncover and fluff grains with fork. Season with pepper to taste and serve.