Merguez Couscous

Photo: flickr user cherrylet

Ingredients

2 smalls onions chopped fine

4 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 teaspoon turmeric

1/2 teaspoon dried hot red pepper flakes

4 teaspoons tomato paste

3 cups chicken broth

1 1/2 cups water

1/2 pound merguez cut in half

2 carrots cut diagonally

into 1/2" thick slices

2 turnips peeled, and cut

into 1 1/2"-thick wedges

1 cinnamon stick - (2" to 3" long)

1 bay leaf

1 cup canned chick-peas rinsed well,

and drained

1 1/2 cups couscous

Preparation

In a heavy saucepan cook the onion in 1 tablespoon of the butter over moderately-low heat, stirring, until it is softened, add the turmeric, and the red pepper flakes, and cook the mixture, stirring for 1 minute. Stir in the tomato paste, the broth, the water, the merguez, the carrot, the turnip, the cinnamon stick, and the bay leaf and simmer the mixture, covered, for 20 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender. Add the chick-peas and simmer the mixture for 5 minutes.

Strain 1 cup of the cooking liquid into a small saucepan, add the remaining 1 tablespoon butter, and bring the mixture to a boil. Stir in the couscous, remove the pan from the heat, and let the mixture stand, covered, for 5 minutes. Fluff the couscous with a fork, divide it between 2 plates, and make a well in the center of each serving.

Transfer the meat and vegetables with a slotted spoon to the wells and serve the remaining cooking broth separately to moisten the dish as desired.

This recipe yields 2 servings.