Lovely Late Spring Couscous Dish with Apricot-Harissa Dressing
A sweet-spicy meal you can make at home in under 20 minutes
Sometimes small things we find can alter our sense of the world. The Mahjoub family’s hand-rolled, sun-dried couscous is one of those. I came upon their offerings at the Fancy Food Show in New York City—a place where one goes in great part to find new things. For almost 20 years now, the connection that came from that meeting has had a meaningful impact on both the ZCoB and the Mahjoubs. Their products are now integrated into nearly every ZCoB business. And without question, into my home cooking. I reference them more than once in the pamphlet “A Taste of Zingerman’s Food Philosophy.”
From the first day I tried it, I knew I’d found a new understanding of just how good couscous could be. I also learned just how easy it is to make. It is—even just eaten alone with a little olive oil, salt, and pepper—a remarkable meal. Basically, you bring water to a boil with a little sea salt, add couscous, stir, cover, and turn off the flame. Wait 12 minutes. Fluff with a fork. Eat up! You will find some of the tastiest couscous you’ve ever tried.
To start this particular dish, cook a good amount of the Mahjoub’s M’hamsa (which means “by hand”) Couscous. When the couscous is done, gently take it out of the pan and put it into a large mixing bowl.
Meanwhile, in a separate smaller bowl, make the vinaigrette. Mix a small bit of vinegar with a couple spoonfuls of the lovely Leelanau Apricot Preserves I wrote about last week from American Spoon Foods up in Petoskey. Add some great olive oil—we’re big lovers of the Mahjoub family’s organic extra virgin oil made from the uniquely Tunisian Chetoui olives. For obvious reasons, it’s an ideal ingredient for this dish! Add a bit of the Mahjoub’s spicy, superb Traditional Harissa. Alter the ratio of apricot preserves to harissa to get to the balance point of sweet and heat that’s right for you.
Add the vinaigrette to the couscous. Coarsely chop a fair bit of fresh parsley and fresh mint. Coarse chop some toasted hazelnuts. You can also use a different nut if you like—almonds, walnuts, or the Ziba baby pistachios we have from Afghanistan work really well. Add the nuts and the chopped herbs to the dish. Assess salt and pepper levels to your taste and adjust accordingly.
Pit some fresh, ripe apricots and break them into small bite-sized pieces. Add them to the dish. And add pieces of high-quality cooked chicken. If you have it grilled, all the better—the smoke from the grill goes well with the sweetness of the apricot and the happy heat of the harissa. Grilled shrimp would be good too!
This dish can be served hot for a main course or held at room temperature to serve as a salad. If you leave the meat out, it can be held without refrigerating for a while if you’re considering taking it on a picnic! Enjoy.
Pick up Les Moulins Mahjoub products at the Deli
