There really isn’t any mystery to cooking this pasta-like “grain” made traditionally in North Africa. You can find it these days in most any market, with flavoring already added, or plain. You can get it small, medium and large. The latter usually “Jerusalem” couscous, or sometimes called “Lebanese”.
A general rule of thumb when preparing this dish is to remember to use the same amount of boiling water to dry couscous.

• Equal parts boiling water to couscous
• 1/2 can, drained and rinsed chickpeas or fava beans
• 2 teaspoons Kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 1 or 2 small, white onions, finely diced
• 1 or 2 cloves garlic, smashed and minced
• 1 medium bell pepper, any color.
• Cilantro or parsley

That being said, I usually just set my electric kettle on and pour out a couple cups into a stainless steel bowl. I learned a neat trick at a restaurant I worked in Minneapolis, where the chef showed me how to “massage” a few drops of olive oil into the “grains” before adding the water. Just use like a teaspoon, swish your hand all throughout, massaging essentially to coat all the grains. This keeps them from clumping together and sticking. Just a teensy bit does the trick. Then toss in a touch of Kosher salt and swish around. Add the boiling water just to the exact line of the couscous in the bowl and set plastic wrap tightly to seal.

Now wait about 5-10 minutes. The grains will swell with the water and cook, and puff up.
Here is where you can prepare whatever items you would like to add to the dish.
I like to halve a white onion, peel, and dice very finely so I have small pieces that will release a lot of flavor in a short amount of time. Get a saute pan on medium heat and add 1 Tablespoon olive oil and sweat the onions with a clove of garlic that you smashed and chopped finely. If you have any great, fresh, bell peppers cut one in half lengthwise, grab the stem and seeds and pull out. Toss it in the microwave, as-is, and cook for 1 minute 30 seconds. This is great for that “roasted” or “steamed” texture and flavor. Chop roughly and add to the pan, along with the beans.

Now check your spices. I keep Za’atar on hand and usually just toss in 1 to 1 1/2 Tablespoons into the pan and give it a stir with a spatula. The onions should be as near to translucent as they ever will be. Deglaze any browned bits with 1 Tablespoon Red Wine Vinegar. Toss in a few Tablespoons of chopped cilantro if you wish. You could add a grilled or steamed chick breast to the pan, chopped.

The ingredients are up to you. Maintain the rules corresponding to which phase in the diet you may be. Turn off the heat and let the ingredients sit, while you fluff the couscous you left aside, covered in plastic wrap. You can gently incorporate your ingredients into the cooked “grains” and enjoy. You can serve with a 1/4 cup of hummus dip and a pita bread, or add some finely chopped, and de-seeded cucumbers to 1/4 cup Greek style yogurt, and a squeeze of half a lemon.

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Easy Mediterranean Spinach

• 2 bunches spinach-washed
• 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 handfuls raisins (about 2 ounces) – pitted
• 1 handful pine nuts (about 1 ounce)
• 1 1/2 cups water
• Kosher salt
• 1 hard-boiled egg – optional, finely chopped
• Scald the raisins and pine nuts with 1 cup of water and drain.

Bring 1/2 cup water to a boil in a deep pot. Drop the washed spinach in it, and cook for 7 minutes over medium heat. Drain the spinach very well in a colander. Press down carefully with a wooden spoon or paper towel if necessary. On a cutting board chop the spinach and set aside. Heat 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil in a frying pan, and add the raisins and pine nuts. Saute for 2 minutes over low heat, or until the raisins swell. Stir constantly.

•   4-6 oz. white marlin steaks
•   1 pint cherry tomatoes, washed and halved
•  Medium red onion, thinly sliced
•   1 cucumber, peeled and large dice
•  1 bunch flat leaf parsley, washed, dried and rough chop
•  2 Tablespoons Mediterranean zataar spice
• ¼ cup rice vinegar
• 1 cup tomato juice
• juice of 1/2 lemon
• 1/4 cup large caper berries, or 1 Tablespoon small-in brine
• Kosher salt and fresh pepper to taste
•  Olive oil spray

Preheat grill or broiler. Lay out the fish steaks on a clean surface or cutting board and lightly season each side with salt and fresh pepper. In a bowl mix tomatoes, thinly sliced red onion, cucumber, parsley, zataar, rice vinegar, tomato juice, lemon juice and season well with salt and pepper. Set inside fridge while you cook the fish steaks. Lightly oil the steaks with some olive oil spray and grill each side for 2-3 minutes. Plate the fish with heaping servings of the fresh relish and enjoy.
 

Chicken Wrap

• 1 package pre-cooked and sliced chicken
• 1 Tablespoon zaatar spices
• 4 tablespoons Greek style yogurt
• 2 teaspoons rice vinegar
• 1 small cucumber, peeled and small dice
• 4 large sun dried tomato sandwich wraps
• ¼ cup chopped flat leaf parsley
• ½ red onion, thinly sliced
• 2 cups Napa cabbage, thinly sliced
• 2 fresh heirloom tomatoes, sliced
• Kosher salt and fresh pepper
• Juice from one lemon

In a bowl mix the chicken, soy mayonnaise, zaatar spices, rice vinegar, cucumber, onion and chopped parsley and season with salt and pepper and lemon juice. Mix together well. On each sun dried tomato wrap spread ½ cup of the chicken mixture and a good handful of shredded Nappa cabbage. Layer a few freshly sliced tomatoes. Roll up and cut in half on a diagonal.
Breakfast B-L-T

• 6 egg whites
• ½ teaspoon Spanish paprika
• 2 each large pita pocket bread
• 1 package soy bacon, pre-cooked
• 4 tablespoons soy mayonnaise
• Kosher salt and fresh black pepper
• Dash Worcestershire sauce
• 2 fresh, ripe tomatoes, sliced thickly
• 1 head fresh Boston bibb lettuce, washed and dried 

Pre-heat a non-stick skillet with a few sprays of fat free cooking spray. Scramble the egg whites with the Spanish paprika and season with salt and pepper.Cut each pita pocket in half and gently open up the bread and spread 1 tablespoon soy mayo on each half. Layer with a few sliced of soy bacon. Add as many tomato slices as you like, a dash of Worcestershire, and the egg whites. Add the fresh Boston bibb lettuce and enjoy. Serves 4 Preparation time 10 minutes. 

Snack Tapas

• 4 Tablespoons marcona almonds
• 4 each soy sausages cooked, cooled and sliced
• 12 each dried apricots
• 4 ounces sheep’s milk cheese such as Carr Valley
• 1 bunch red grapes 

On 4 plates arrange the almonds (1 tablespoon each) , sausages (1 per person), apricots (3 each), cheese (1 ounce each) and grapes. Enjoy with a glass of wine or cranberry juice and eat like a tapas plate. Serves 4.Preparation time 5 minutes.  

Mediterranean Chicken Stew 

• 1 whole medium-sized chicken – cut into 8 bone-in pieces-skin removed
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 small to medium size onion – grated
• 1 carrot – small dice
• 1 small handful flat-leaf parsley leaves – whole
• 2 cloves garlic – smashed
• 2 bay leaves-fresh
• 1 tablespoon flour
• 1 cup dry white wine
• 2 to 3 cups hot water
• Kosher salt to taste
• Fresh ground pepper to taste
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 10 shallots – peeled
• 12 mushrooms, preferably porcini
• 4 to 5 teaspoons capers

Heat 3 tablespoons olive oil in a large, heavy bottomed, dutch oven over medium heat until the oil swirls. Season and add the chicken pieces and brown them, 3 or 4 minutes each side. Remove the chicken from the casserole and set it aside. In the same pot combine the onion, carrot, parsley, garlic, bay leaves, and some ground pepper. Stir for one minute and add the flour and a little salt. Stir to prevent sticking. When the mixture has thickened some, add the wine and the water. Continue to simmer 5 minutes then pour the sauce into a bowl, returning the chicken to the casserole. Return the sauce pouring, over the chicken. Cover and simmer the chicken with the sauce for about 20 more minutes.
When the chicken has simmered for 15 to 20 minutes, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a frying pan, and fry the shallots and the mushrooms over medium heat. Add the capers to the chicken a few minutes before removing from the heat.  

Variation chicken stew with prunes:

• 1 whole medium-sized chicken – cut into 8 bone-in pieces-skin removed
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 clove garlic – smashed1 stick cinnamon
• 2 bay leaves
• 8 fresh oregano leaves (or 1 teaspoon dried oregano leaves)
• 1 cup dry white wine
• 10 prunes – whole
• 1 ounce pine nuts – whole
• 1 cup low sodium chicken broth
• Kosher salt Freshly ground pepper 

Heat 3 tablespoons olive oil in a medium-sized casserole pot over medium heat. Add the garlic, the stick cinnamon, and the bay and oregano leaves. Brown for 5 minutes over medium heat, turn the chicken pieces over, and cook for another 5 minutes. When the chicken begins to turn golden, pour the cup of wine over it, and add the prunes and the pine nuts. Turn down the heat to low, cover and cook for about 30 minutes.
Serves 4. Serve with a fresh garden salad.  

Babaganoush 

• 4 large eggplants – whole
• 6 tablespoons fresh lemon juice 4 tablespoons tahini 3 cloves garlic – peeled
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt 

Pierce each side of the unpeeled eggplants with a fork all over. Place the whole eggplants in the oven and roast them for about 45 minutes turning them over 2 or 3 times. The eggplants are done when the outer shell is blackened or charred, and the inside is soft. Allow to cool a little and cut open lengthwise with a knife, and scoop out the pulp with a spoon. Put the pulp in a food processor and puree. Be careful not to liquidize the eggplant pulp. Add garlic and salt. Add the lemon juice and the tahini alternately to the eggplant puree and pulse it gently until the babaganoush has a smooth consistency. Pour it onto a serving dish or platter. You can add chopped fresh parsley as a garnish and a lemon wedge as well. Serve chilled or at room temperature with olive oil, pita bread, and crudites. 

Mediterranean Tuna Salad

• 1 head escarole-washed
• 3 heads chicory or endive-cleaned and leaves separated
•  1 pound fresh tuna steak or loin-grilled or pan seared 1/4 cup of your favorite olives-pitted and chopped (I like Cerignola)For the romesco dressing
• 4 anchovy fillets
•  1 cup fresh summer green beans, tender crisp cooked
• 2 garlic cloves – smashed
• 8 hazelnuts – roasted lightly in a dry pan
• 4 each canned piquillo peppers, sliced
• 1 slice stale bread
• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• Kosher salt to taste

In a food processor combine the dressing ingredients except for the olive oil and piquillo peppers. Pulse until combined but still grainy in texture. Gradually add the olive oil to combine well. Chop the greens or tear and toss lightly in the dressing with the green beans. Slice the tuna or crumble and arrange the piquillo peppers on top.

•  1½ ounce toasted almonds – about 4 to 5 per guest
• 1½ ounce toasted hazelnuts – about 4 to 5 per guest
• 1½ ounce shelled walnuts
• 1 ounce pine nuts
• 1½ ounce large muscadet or golden raisins, or use prunes
• 6 to 8 dried figs – 1 or 2 per guest Roast the almonds and hazelnuts if you didn’t buy them toasted.

Shell the walnuts, if they are not shelled. Mix the nuts and dry fruits in a platter or individual plates. Serve by itself or with a glass of sweet dessert wine. A dollop of Greek style yogurt or whipped cream on each serving is also delicious but does add extra fat.

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