Play With Your Couscous

I have new found respect for couscous after watching the last bit of an episode of Gourmet's Adventures with Ruth, in which Ruth Reichl and Lorraine Bracco travel to Marrakech. The process of making couscous by hand is surprisingly laborious, so I've decided, from now on, to make couscous concoctions more fitting of its noble birth.

So, when Nancy decided to make couscous this weekend, we experimented. For 1 cup dry couscous: Sauté a medium onion and a clove of garlic (both minced), in some olive oil in a small frying pan until the onions turn golden. In a small pan, boil 1 1/2 cup water, then throw in a handful each of golden raisins, currants, and sliced dried apricots. Stir in the dry couscous, a little more olive oil, the onion/garlic mixture, and about 1/2 cup sliced green pitted olives. Turn off the heat, place the lid on the pan, and steam until the grain is cooked, about 5 minutes.

We discussed other future additions: almonds, preserved lemons, herbs, and more. Time to play!