Couscous Cake Recipes

LEMON RAISIN COUSCOUS CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line an 8x4 inch loaf pan with aluminum foil. Set aside. Soak the couscous and raisins in the water for about 5 minutes.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, sugar, lemon curd and lemon juice. Stir into the couscous. Transfer to the prepared loaf pan.
• Bake for 30 minutes in the preheated oven, or until the center is firm. Cool, then remove from the pan. Remove the aluminum foil, slice and serve.

COUSCOUS CAKES

Steps:

• In a medium bowl, mix together the couscous, cilantro, egg, egg yolk, coriander, lemon zest, salt and pepper. Sprinkle the flour over the mixture. Mix until combined.
• In a large nonstick skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. Form 1/4 cupfuls of the mixture into 8 patties. Add 4 of the patties to the pan and cook for 3 to 4 minutes each side until golden. Drain on paper towels. Repeat with the remaining couscous mixture.
• Serve the couscous cakes with mango chutney.

COUSCOUS CAKES

Steps:

• In a medium saucepan, salt 1 1/4 cups water and bring to a boil. Whisk in the couscous. Turn off the heat, cover and let stand for 5 minutes. Transfer the cooked couscous to a bowl and mix in the nuts, parsley and egg. Season with salt and pepper. With damp hands, form the couscous into 4 patties, about 1-inch thick (about the same thickness of your first thumb joint).
• Heat the oil in a 12-inch nonstick pan over moderate heat until hot but not smoking. Carefully place the couscous cakes in the pan and cook until golden, turning once, about 5 minutes per side. Remove from the heat and serve.
• BYOC: The thing I love about making cakes is I can really throw anything in there. Sticking with the Middle Eastern theme, dates would add a nice texture to these. Plus, you can break up leftovers in a pan for an alternative to fried rice. You can throw any herb in here - basil, thyme or oregano.

GIANT COUSCOUS CAKE WITH ROASTED PEPPER SAUCE

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit/220 degrees Celsius.
• Prepare the pepper sauce: Add the bell peppers and tomato to a baking sheet (tray) and toss with 1 tablespoon oil, 1/4 teaspoon salt and a good grind of pepper. Drizzle the garlic heads with a little oil, wrap tightly in foil and place them to one side of the baking sheet. Roast for 35 minutes or until the pepper skins are well charred and the garlic has softened.
• When cool enough to handle, peel and discard the pepper and tomato skins. (Don't worry if you can't remove all the skin.) Add the peeled vegetables to a food processor. Squeeze the garlic cloves out of their papery skins (discarding the skins) and add them to the blender along with the vinegar, maple syrup, 1/4 teaspoon salt and a good grind of pepper. Blitz for a few seconds, then, with the machine running, slowly drizzle in the remaining 3 tablespoons oil until incorporated and the sauce is smooth. Set aside pepper sauce.
• Meanwhile, prepare the couscous cake: Add the couscous, 1/2 teaspoon salt and boiling water to a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring to a simmer, then cover with a lid and turn the heat to medium-low. Cook for 10 minutes, then set aside to cool.
• Place a large nonstick skillet over high heat. Toss the scallions (spring onions) with 1/2 tablespoon oil, then add to the pan and fry until softened and charred, turning halfway through, about 4 minutes. Set the scallions aside.
• Turn the heat down to medium-high, then add another 1/2 tablespoon oil and the spinach to the pan. Cook until wilted, about 90 seconds, then transfer to a large bowl. Roughly chop the scallions and add two-thirds to the bowl with the spinach. Add the couscous, yogurt, both cheeses, flour, eggs, garlic, coriander, basil, 1/2 teaspoon salt and a good grind of pepper to the bowl and mix everything to combine.
• Wipe out the skillet and heat 5 tablespoons oil over medium-high. Once hot, add the couscous mixture, and use a spoon to evenly distribute and smooth out the top. Turn the heat down to medium-low and cook for 20 minutes; the edges will be golden, the cake will start to set in the center and you should be able to loosen the cake from the base.
• Use a spatula to gently separate the cake from the sides of the pan, running it under the cake as well to try to loosen it from the bottom. Remove the pan from the heat and, very gently, invert the whole thing onto a large plate. Return the pan to the heat and slide the cake back into it, crispy-side up, to brown the other side. Cook for 8 minutes over medium heat, then transfer the cake to a large wooden board or serving platter.
• In a small bowl, combine the remaining scallions with the extra basil leaves and the remaining 1 tablespoon oil. Sprinkle the cake all over with the extra pecorino and top with the scallion mixture. Serve with the pepper sauce in a bowl alongside.

LEEK & CHEESE COUSCOUS CAKE

Steps:

• Pour 450mls (scant 2 cups) of boiling water over the couscous in a heatproof bowl.
• Cover and allow to stand until all the water is absorbed, about 15mins.
• Heat 1Tbsp of the oil in a frypan and cook the leeks until they are tender.
• Remove leeks from pan with a slotted spoon and then stir them into the couscous.
• Add the grated cheese and salt & pepper to taste. Stir to mix.
• Heat remaining oil in frypan and add mixture, pressing down to flatten to form a cake.
• Cook over a gentle heat heat until underside is crisp & golden (about 15mins).
• Slide out onto a plate then invert back into pan to cook other side for about another 5-8 minutes.
• Slide out of pan and cut into wedges to serve.

COUSCOUS DATE CAKE

Steps:

• For the Cake: With the rack in the middle position, preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F). Butter and flour a 20-cm (8-inch) springform pan. Line the bottom with parchment paper.
• In a saucepan, bring the water, dates, butter and baking soda to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, stirring frequently, for about 3 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and let cool slightly. Cover and refrigerate until lukewarm, about 30 minutes.
• In a bowl, combine the flour, couscous and baking powder. Set aside.
• In another bowl, beat the eggs with the sugar using an electric mixer until the mixture turns pale, triples in volume and falls from the beaters in a ribbon, about 10 minutes. Using a spatula, gently fold in the dry ingredients then the date mixture.
• Pour into the springform pan and bake until a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean, about 65 minutes.
• Let cool. Run the blade of a thin knife around the inside of the pan. Unmould and let cool on a rack.
• For the Icing: In a bowl, beat the sugar and milk until smooth. Drizzle over the cooled cake.

GARLIC LEMON COUSCOUS CAKES

Steps:

• Combine water and salt in saucepan; bring to a boil. Add couscous; cover and remove from heat. Allow to stand for 5 minutes.
• Coarsely chop the garlic in a food processor. Add the mint and pulse until finely chopped. Add the chickpeas and remaining teaspoon salt and pulse until coarsely chopped.
• Uncover the couscous and fluff with a fork.
• In a large bowl, combine couscous, chickpea mixture, eggs, and lemon zest, mixing until well combined. Press the couscous mixture into a 1/4 measuring cup, smooth the top, and invert the measuring cup to release the cake onto a tray. Repeat with the remaining couscous mixture to make 8-9 cakes.
• Refrigerate for 10-15 minutes to allow the mixture to set.
• Heat 1 1/2 tablespoons oil in a large skillet over medium heat until simmering.
• Add about 5 of the couscous cakes to the skillet; use a spatula to lightly flatten to about 3/4-inch thickness.
• Cook, flipping once, until the patties are crisp and golden brown on both sides, about 3-5 minutes per side. Transfer the cooked patties to a paper and keep warm. Add the remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil to the skillet and cook the remaining cakes the same way.