The Ultimate Winter Couscous

Growing up in Morocco, couscous became a weekly dish cooked by the eldest woman in every household on Friday for lunch. I remember my mom always making 2 plates that day, one for our family and one for the unknown hungry stranger that may or may not knock on our door that day looking for a meal.

Since our new Supper Club is hosting a Ladies Let's Lunch event where 40 ladies will be introduced to my cooking, I decided to make a Moroccan menu where I cook the most popular recipes passed down from my favorite cook: my mother.

                               

They are many ways to make couscous but my favorite is the one with seven vegetables. It's so savory, colorful and healthy.

First things first. You have to figure out what veggies are available from your local market. As long as the vegetables compliment one another, you can't go wrong. When it comes to winter couscous, there are a few vegetables I would never personally use, like peppers, beets, asparagus, and potatoes. I have always preferred sweeter items like carrots, pumpkin, acorn and butternut squash. This creates an aromatic broth that over powers other mild vegetables like: zucchini,  cauliflower and turnip.  Now you’ve got yourself a medley of savory flavors.

My favorite combination of cooking is savory and sweet so right before I serve my couscous I add caramelized onions, raisins and garbanzo beans...yummm, just the thought of that makes me want to stop writing and start cooking!!!

Regardless of beef, chicken or lamb, you can choose whatever meat you have available for a winter couscous but if you want to kick it up a notch, add bone marrow. I call it Couscous on steroids!!!The taste is subtle and offers a creamy nuttiness, sometimes a bit sweet, always extremely rich.

When I was little, my great aunt would call me to the kitchen before lunch and give me a little dish with bone marrow and ask me to eat it and not tell anyone. That was the ultimate expression of love for her favorite niece.

I am very excited about cooking for the ladies in few weeks and I truly hope everyone enjoys each and every one of my traditional Moroccan dishes.

For the recipe of a seven vegetable couscous please follow the link bellow minus the cinnamon and harrisa: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchens/seven-vegetable-couscous-recipe/index.html 
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