Vegetable Barley Couscous Recipes

VEGETABLE BARLEY COUSCOUS

Steps:

• Cook chickpeas:
• Soak dried chickpeas in 3 cups water at least 8 hours and up to 24.
• Drain soaked chickpeas and combine with 6 cups cold water in a 3- to 4-quart saucepan and simmer, uncovered, until tender, about 1 hour. Drain and set aside.
• Make broth while chickpeas cook:
• Lightly toast saffron in a dry small heavy skillet over moderately low heat, shaking skillet, just until fragrant, about 1 minute, then transfer to a small dish.
• Halve tomatoes and grate flesh on large round holes of a box grater, discarding skin.
• Put oil, grated tomato, onions, pepper, ginger, salt, tomato paste, and saffron in lower portion of couscoussière (or in 5- to 6-quart pot) and cook over moderate heat, stirring frequently, until onions are softened, about 10 minutes. Add water and ras-el-hanout and bring broth to a simmer.
• Make couscous:
• While broth comes to a simmer, put couscous in a large wide bowl and toss with salt, then drizzle with 2 tablespoons oil, rubbing grains between your palms to distribute oil. Sprinkle couscous with 1 cup tepid water, rubbing to evenly distribute and breaking up any lumps. Sprinkle top portion of couscoussière (if using a colander or steamer, line with cheesecloth) with couscous in an even, loose layer without packing.
• Set couscous over simmering broth and steam, uncovered, until steam rises up evenly over surface of couscous, about 10 minutes. Transfer couscous to cleaned bowl (reserving cheesecloth if using).
• Let stand until cool enough to handle, then sprinkle with 1 cup water again and gently rub couscous between palms. Let couscous stand 10 minutes.
• While couscous stands, add carrots and turnips to broth in couscoussière and return to a simmer.
• Return couscous to top of couscoussière and steam a second time, uncovered, in same manner, until steam rises evenly over surface, then transfer to bowl again (reserving cheesecloth). Stir just enough water (1/2 to 3/4 cup) into couscous to make it come together when a squeezed handful holds its shape without cracking. Let couscous stand, uncovered, 10 minutes.
• While couscous stands, add zucchini, cabbage, and butternut squash to broth and cook, covered, until vegetables are almost tender, then add cooked chickpeas.
• Rub remaining 2 tablespoons oil into couscous, then transfer to top of couscoussière and steam couscous a third time in same manner as above.
• Fry almonds during third steaming:
• Heat oil in a 7- to 8-inch skillet over moderate heat until just hot and cook almonds, stirring occasionally, until golden, 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer with a slotted spoon to paper towels to drain.
• To serve:
• Gently stir 1/2 teaspoon harissa into broth and serve couscous with vegetables, broth, fried almonds, honeyed red-onion confit, and harissa.

VEGETABLE COUSCOUS

Steps:

• In a large skillet, saute the carrots, celery, onion and peppers in oil for 5-6 minutes or until vegetables are crisp-tender. Add the next five ingredients. , Stir in couscous. Add broth; bring to a boil. Cover and remove from the heat; let stand for 5-8 minutes. Fluff with a fork and serve immediately.

BARLEY VEGETABLE SOUP

Steps:

• In a 5-qt. slow cooker, combine the first eight ingredients. Stir in the water, broth, barley, bay leaf and seasonings. Cover and cook on low for 8-10 hours or until barley and vegetables are tender. , Stir in tomatoes; cover and cook on high for 10-20 minutes or until heated through. Discard bay leaf.

BEAKER'S VEGETABLE BARLEY SOUP

Steps:

• Pour the vegetable broth into a large pot. Add the barley, carrots, celery, tomatoes, zucchini, garbanzo beans, onion, and bay leaves. Season with garlic powder, sugar, salt, pepper, parsley, curry powder, paprika, and Worcestershire sauce. Bring to a boil, then cover and simmer over medium-low heat for 90 minutes. The soup will be very thick. You may adjust by adding more broth or less barley if desired. Remove bay leaves before serving.

COUSCOUS BELBOULA (BARLEY COUSCOUS) RECIPE

Steps:

• Gather the ingredients.
• In a very large bowl, mix the dry barley couscous with the oil, using your hands to toss the barley and evenly distribute the oil.
• Mix in two cups of water, tossing the barley with your hands and rubbing out any balls that clump together. Leave the barley to rest and absorb the water for 10 minutes.
• Transfer the barley to the steamer basket. Place atop the couscoussier and seal the joint.
• Allow the barley to steam for about 15 minutes, timing from when the steam rises from the couscous.
• Turn the steamed barley back into the bowl and break it apart. Mix in another two cups of water and two teaspoons of salt, again tossing the couscous with your hands and rubbing out any balls that form. Leave the barley to rest and absorb the water for 10 minutes, then place back into the steamer.
• Steam for a second time for about 15 minutes, timing from when the steam rises from the couscous.
• After the second steaming has completed, turn the barley back into the bowl and break it apart. Mix in two cups of water and leave the couscous to rest and absorb the water for 10 minutes.
• After the barley has dried a bit, mix in another two cups of water. Again, leave the barley to rest a few minutes so that it has time to absorb the water. At this point, the barley should feel al dente and somewhat heavy.
• Steam the barley for the third time, for about 10 to 15 minutes.
• Place the barley couscous in a big serving bowl and toss in the butter and the broth. Mix well and serve (see tip below).
• Enjoy!

BARLEY COUSCOUS WITH SEVEN VEGETABLES

Steps:

• Prepare the couscous in a large, round, ovenproof dish as described on page 112, leaving the final heating in the oven to be done 20 to 30 minutes before serving.
• Cut the meat into 10 pieces and the onions into quarters, then into thick slices, and put them in a large pan with the drained chickpeas. Cover with about 6 pints of water, bring to the boil, and remove the scum. Add the pepper (no salt is added at this stage since it would stop the chickpeas from softening), saffron, cinnamon, and ginger and simmer, covered, for 1 hour.
• Now put in the tomatoes, carrots, turnips, cabbage, potatoes, cut in half or left whole if small, and the whole chilies, if using. Add salt, and cook for 30 minutes, or until the meat is very tender.
• Add the celery, pumpkin, zucchini, cut into fat slices or left whole if they are baby ones, fava beans, and herbs. Add more water, if necessary, taste, and adjust the seasoning, and cook 30 minutes more.
• About 20 to 30 minutes before the end of the cooking time-when the last vegetables go in-put the couscous into the oven, preheated to 400°F, and heat through until it is steaming hot, taking it out and fluffing it with a fork after about 10 minutes. Before serving, fork the butter, cut into small pieces, into the couscous and fluff up the couscous as it melts in.
• To serve, moisten the couscous with a little broth and shape it into a cone with a crater at the top. Arrange some meat in the crater and some vegetables down the sides, then pour a little broth over the mound. Bring the remaining broth, meat, and vegetables to the table in another bowl. Alternatively, bring the couscous to the table in one dish, and the broth with the meat and vegetables in another, and serve them directly into individual bowls or soup plates.
• Use 2 chickens cut into pieces instead of the meat.
• For a peppery sauce, pass around a bowl with 3 to 4 ladles of the hot broth mixed with 1 tablespoon or more harissa or 2 tablespoons paprika and 1 teaspoon or more chili pepper. Although this was originally a Tunisian and Algerian custom, not Moroccan, the French like it as do some of us now.

LEMONY VEGETABLE COUSCOUS

Steps:

• Prepare the couscous per package instructions with the 2 cups of broth.
• Dice vegetables and chop mint (if zucchini are small, use 4).
• In a large skillet or pot, heat 2 tbsp of oil and butter if desired. Add onions and cook until just soft, add peppers and cook about half way. Add zucchini and continue to cook until vegetables are soft.
• Season vegetables with the juice of one lemon, evoo, salt, pepper, a handful of mint and a dash of cumin.
• When couscous if finished, add some butter, evoo, salt, pepper, dash of cumin, and another handful of mint. Fluff with a fork.
• Combine couscous and vegetables in a bowl. Add juice of the second lemon, half a can of chickpeas and the two diced tomatoes. Drizzle with evoo and season to taste. Can be served warm or cold. Enjoy.
• Note- vegans can omit butter.