Couscous Al Andalus

Adapted from Paddy Nichols recipe

This is a recipe for chicken couscous which my friend and world travel expert, Paddy Nichols, learned while attending Dar Loughat, an Arabic language school in the city of Granada in Spain’s southernmost Andalusia.

In Paddy’s words:

A few years ago, I signed up for Arabic classes in Granada Spain.  I didn’t realize then how much I would learn about Moroccan gastronomy from my fabulous teacher, Mounia and the subtle variations of ingredients from different regions.  Her ancestors, émigrés from Andalusia, settled in Tetuan on the Mediterranean coast in Northern Morocco in the 16th century.  She shared her own family recipes with us, which she and her sisters learnt from her mother, to transmit, like most of the women I came across in Morocco, in turn, to the next generation. 

I’ve modified the quantities from the original recipe to serve a smaller group of guests. Additionally, butternut squash was added as I love vegetables and couldn’t help myself. Also, instead of Paddy’s suggestion for traditional couscous I opted for wholewheat instant couscous for convenience’s sake.

For the chicken:

6 large chicken thighs, with bone in (skinless or with skin)

3 ½ teaspoons ground ginger

1 teaspoon black pepper

1 teaspoon salt

1 medium onion, diced

3 large cloves garlic, diced

2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

2 Tablespoons clarified butter (or Ghee)

1 healthy pinch saffron, ground in a mortar

3 ½ cups water

18 1-inch squares of butternut squash (optional)

¼ cup coriander leaves, chopped

For the caramelized onions:

2 large vidalia onions, cut into julienne slices

1/3 cup raisins, soaked in hot water

½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

½ teaspoon saffron, ground in a mortar

2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Pinch sea salt

½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 teaspoon sugar (regular or brown)

½ cup water

1 cup canned chickpeas, drained

2 Tablespoons toasted almonds

Ground cinnamon for garnish

For the couscous:

2 cups whole wheat couscous (Regular instant couscous is fine too.)

2 1/2 cups either chicken or vegetable broth, preferably homemade

1 teaspoon salt

1 Tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

Cooking instructions:

1.    For the chicken, pat the pieces dry. Make a rub mixture with the ground ginger, black pepper and salt. Rub both sides of the chicken. Put in a rectangular glass bowl so pieces are all laying flat. Spread diced onions and garlic on top, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least one hour or preferably overnight.

2.    Before cooking remove the pieces of onion and garlic and set aside.  In a heavy-bottomed enamel casserole, lightly brown chicken pieces in olive oil and clarified butter. Do not crowd pieces. Fry in batches, if necessary.  Put all the fried chicken pieces back into the casserole and add back onions and garlic. Next add saffron and water. Bring to a simmer and cook with a lid on for one hour or until chicken is tender.  Remove chicken pieces from liquid and cover. Set aside.

3.    Cook squash in remaining broth, approximately 15 minutes or until just tender.  Do not overcook or it will fall apart.  Remove pieces and set aside.

4.    For the caramelized onions, using a medium size skillet gently sauté the onion slices in olive oil for 10 minutes to soften. Add raisins, cinnamon, saffron, salt, pepper, sugar and water, stir and cook for another 10 minutes until onions are fully caramelized.   Add the chickpeas.

5.    In a separate medium size pot, make the couscous.  Add broth, salt and olive oil and bring to a boil.  Stir in couscous and remove from heat. Let it rest, covered for 5-10 minutes until all the liquid is absorbed.  Remove cover and fluff up with a fork.

6.    If the sauce from cooking the chicken is too thin, return it to the heat and reduce until thickened. Add back in chicken pieces and squash and reheat for another 5-7 minutes.

7.    Serve the chicken, squash and sauce in a heated bowl. Garnish top with fresh coriander leaves.

8.    Serve the couscous in a heated tagine (or large serving platter) topped with the caramelized onions. Garnish with toasted almonds and a sprinkling of ground cinnamon.

Serves: 6 servings

Recommended wines: A white Bordeaux blend of Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon, Gewürztraminer, Bandol Rosé, Cru Beaujolais, or light red Côte du Rhône.