RFCJ RECIPE ARCHIVE
Posted by : Lita Lotzkar Couscous with Chicken #4 - meat
This is a quick and easy version of the North African staple, but just as tasty. If you can get your hands on some, serve this dish with harissa, a spicy chili and garlic condiment. For the Chicken-Vegetable Topping: 2 pounds chicken breast, skinned and boned 1/4 cup honey 1 teaspoon olive oil 1 medium onion, chopped 1 medium carrot, peeled and chopped 1 medium zucchini, chopped 1 large potato, peeled and chopped 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon 1/2 teaspoon ginger 1/2 teaspoon cumin 14 1/2 ounces canned tomatoes 15 ounces garbanzo beans, canned 2 cups chicken broth 1 teaspoon Tabasco sauce 1/2 cup frozen green peas For the Couscous: 3 cups couscous 3 cups chicken broth Chicken preparation: Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Coat top of chicken breasts with honey. Place in greased broiler pan. Bake in oven until cooked through (20 minutes). For the Vegetable preparation: In a large Dutch oven, heat oil over medium heat. Add onions; saute until translucent (5 minutes). Add carrot, zucchini, and potato. Cook, stirring for 5 minutes. Add cinnamon, ginger, cumin, and pepper to taste. Stir, distributing spices evenly. Add tomatoes, garbanzos, broth, Tabasco sauce, and chicken pieces. Bring to a boil and simmer uncovered for 25 minutes. Add green peas, and cook for 5 more minutes. For the Couscous preparation: Meanwhile, in another (smaller) saucepan, bring chicken broth to a boil. Stir in couscous. Cover; remove from heat. Let stand for 5 minutes. Fluff with fork. Serve chicken and vegetable topping over couscous. Source: Cafe Creosote Archivist's note: "The theme of a Jerusalem food conference on Jewish food in 1993 was 'Gefilte fish or couscous?' ... There is probably more couscous than gefilte fish served on Friday night in Jewish families in France... Typically Jewish [is] couscous with boulettes -- meatballs, chicken balls or fish balls -- which are part of the Friday night meal. The night before Yom Kippur the couscous is with chicken; during Sukkot, there are sweet potatoes and raisins in the soup; at Rosh Hashanah there are more sweet ingredients -- quinces, sweet potatoes and yellow raisins -- and nothing black -- no olives and no eggplants." Claudia Roden "The Book of Jewish Food"
