Couscous is a traditional Berber dish which has become the national dish of Morocco. Interestingly, couscous was voted as the third-favorite dish of French people in 2011. Couscous is made from two different sizes of the husked and crushed, but unground, semolina of hard wheat using water to bind them. Remarkably it is one of the oldest types of pasta. Since our own Chef Youssef grew up in Morocco and stems from a long line of Berbers, we thought you might like the couscous recipe he inherited from his mother and his ancestors. Enjoy!
4 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 large Spanish onion, thinly sliced
Large pinch of saffron threads
Water
4 meaty lamb shanks (about 1 pound each)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon sweet paprika, plus more for dusting
2 teaspoons ground cumin
Small pinch of ground ginger
3 large plum tomatoes—peeled, seeded and quartered
10 parsley sprigs
1 large thyme sprig, tied in kitchen string
3 medium white sweet potatoes or regular, cut into 1 1/2-inch chunks
3 large parsnips, cut into 2-inch lengths
2 large carrots, cut into 2-inch lengths
2 turnips, cut into 2-inch pieces
3 medium zucchini, cut into 2-inch pieces
2 cups frozen peas
2 cups couscous
- In a very large, enameled cast-iron casserole, melt 3 tablespoons of the butter in the olive oil. Add the onion and cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until just softened, about 5 minutes. In a small bowl, crumble the saffron into 2 tablespoons of hot water and let stand for at least 10 minutes.
- Season the lamb shanks with salt and black pepper and dust with paprika. Add the lamb shanks to the casserole and cook over moderate heat, turning occasionally, until the shanks are well browned, about 7 minutes. Stir in the 1 tablespoon of paprika, the cumin and cayenne and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the tomatoes and 3 quarts of water and bring to a boil over moderately high heat. Skim off any fat and add the saffron and its soaking liquid, the parsley bundle and a large pinch of salt. Reduce the heat to low, cover partially and simmer until the lamb is tender, about 2 hours.
- Transfer the lamb shanks to a large plate and cover with foil. Add the sweet potatoes, parsnips and carrots to the casserole, cover and simmer over moderate heat until almost tender, about 10 minutes. Add the turnips and zucchini and simmer uncovered until all the vegetables are tender, about 10 minutes longer. Remove from the heat and discard the parsley bundle; set aside 1 cup of the cooking liquid. Stir in the frozen peas.
- Return the shanks to the stew.
- In a large saucepan, melt the remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons of butter. Add the couscous and cook over moderate heat, stirring, until lightly toasted, about 3 minutes. Stir in 2 cups of water, the reserved 1 cup of cooking liquid and a large pinch of salt and bring to a boil. Cover, remove from the heat and let stand until the liquid has been absorbed, about 10 minutes. Fluff with a fork.
- Season the lamb stew with salt and pepper. Mound the couscous on a large, high-sided platter. Ladle one-third of the lamb and vegetables around the couscous and moisten with a little of the cooking liquid. You can serve Moroccan hot sauce ( harissa) on the side. You can find it in specialty stores.
- MAKE AHEAD The lamb stew can be made through Step 4 and refrigerated for up to 3 days; reheat gently. Make the couscous just before serving.