SPICY VEGETABLE COUSCOUS (couscous au sept legumes, for six)
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Moroccans consider it good luck to use seven vegetables in couscous. Other vegetables can be substituted so long as the number seven remains the same. Try a red bell pepper, seeded and quartered, a small green cabbage, quartered, 2 small chiles, seeded, 2 carrots, peeled and diagonally sliced, 1 small eggplant, quartered, frozen baby peas, 1 waxy white potato, peeled and quartered, 1 small butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cut into large chunks, or a small turnip, peeled and quartered.
3 tablespoons olive oil
½ cup sweet potato, cut into 1 inch pieces
½ cup yellow summer squash, halved and cut into 1 inch pieces
½ cup zucchini, halved and cut into 1 inch pieces
½ cup red onion, cut into 1 inch pieces
2 cloves garlic, minced
½ cup plum tomatoes, seeded and cut into 1 inch pieces
½ cup frozen baby lima beans, thawed
1 cup chick peas (garbanzos)
¾ teaspoon ground cumin
¾ teaspoon curry powder
¾ teaspoon red pepper flakes
¾ teaspoon salt
freshly ground black pepper to taste
one 10-ounce box couscous (1-1/2 cups), cooked in chicken broth
1/3 cup fresh parsley, minced
harissa to accompany
- Heat the oil in a large skillet and sauté the potato and garlic for 2 minutes. Add the red onion, sauté 2 minutes, then add the squash and zucchini and sauté 2 minutes more.
- Stir in the plum tomatoes, lima beans, green peas, chick peas and spices, cook for 2 minutes, then gently stir in the cooked couscous. Cook until hot, about 8 minutes (or spoon into a casserole, dot with butter and heat in a 350* oven until hot, about 15 minutes). Garnish with parsley before serving.
adapted from Julee Rosso and Sheila Lukins, The New Basics Cookbook
SERVE WITH:
Lamb shanks braised in chicken broth with chickpeas and merguez spices
Marrakesh lamb tagine with preserved lemon and black olives