Couscous : HEAD An ancient North African staple is making a comeback with updated looks, taste and appeal

Those who don’t know the word couscous, might think the subject is about diapered babies being coo-cooed. Something cute.

To those who are acquainted with the ancient North African dietary staple derived from wheat, the word conjures visions of Bedouins racing across the desert against a blazing sun, or a smoky Parisian cafe in the backwaters of the Latin Quarter where couscous is as well known as pommes frites.

Well, forget all that. At the moment, couscous is undergoing an image makeover. It’s making a modern-day comeback with updated looks, taste and appeal, thanks to the imaginative chefs of some of top restaurants in town.

At Citrus, one of the hottest eateries in Los Angeles, chef Michel Richard serves a couscous so unique, no North African couscous-eater would recognize his or her favorite grain, even though all the basic couscous ingredients are used. Richard serves turbans of couscous covered with paper-thin slices of lamb and topped with ultra-refined ratatouille, containing the traditional vegetables of the couscous meal.

Joachim Splichal, whose exquisite cuisine is practiced at the Regency Club these days, prepares a sort of nouvelle cuisine couscous with boned baby chicken legs and thighs and precision-cut vegetables, topped like a bejeweled crown with cold tomato salsa.

Le St. Germain has offered an elegant version of couscous as a special now and then, and at Le Dome, couscous with chicken, lamb and Moroccan mergez sausage is served each Tuesday and Wednesday.

Established North African restaurants, such as Marrakesh in both Studio City and Newport Beach, Moun of Tunis in Los Angeles and Dar Magreb (Los Angeles’ earliest Moroccan restaurant) have for years served the traditional couscous complet, with the standard meats--lamb, chicken or sausage--and accompanying salads as part of a multi-course feast.

Robaire’s, a French restaurant, which was probably the first restaurant in all of California to introduce couscous on a regular basis each month more than two decades ago, has been joined by a new crop of French bistros in the practice: Bistango (Los Angeles), Moustache Cafe (Los Angeles and Westwood) and Michel Richard restaurant (Los Angeles) all occasionally offer Parisian-style couscous made with chicken, fish or lamb and sausage as a special. And the trend is growing.

Couscous is probably one of the first pasta products derived from wheat known to man (probably predating Marco Polo’s spaghetti contribution by several millennia). Los Angeles-based anthropologist Fadwa El Giundi places couscous among the wheat products derived as result of the domestication of wheat into an agricultural product by 8,000 B.C. “As wheat spread throughout the Middle East it took on various forms by each group using it,” explained El Giundi.

In the hands of the nomadic Berbers, the aboriginal people of North Africa, semolina from hard durum wheat was processed into a dough, which was then rolled between the palms of hands into tiny nuggets or crumbs. When cooked, the crumbs expand as does any pasta or rice. The combination of couscous with vegetables (complex carbohydrates) and often meat (protein) created a completely balanced and nutritious diet. Recipes for hand-processed couscous exist to this day in remote rural cultures throughout North Africa, but the skill is fast disappearing in favor of technological methods of production, according to El Giundi. In rice-eating Egypt, for instance, a couscous dish known as el sebour’ , is used as part of a ritual for weddings, circumcisions and baptisms. However, in other parts of North Africa, such as Morocco, Tunis and Algeria, there is no major event, banquet or family meal without a dish of couscous.

The ebb and flow of trade, wars and migrations, forced couscous outside of its own geographic boundaries. You’ll find traces of couscous in regional cuisines of Sicily and Rome (known as cuscus) and even across the Adriatic to Yugoslavia and below. A dried form of couscous called trahana is found in Greece and Albania, where it is used as a breakfast cereal. Throughout the Arab world couscous is known as mougrabiye, (also magrebiya) from the word magreb meaning North Africa.

Waves of North African migrations to France over a period of a century have helped create a sub-cuisine throughout France much like the Indian cuisine in England. Couscous houses are found in the nooks and crannys of side streets everywhere in France, including the Latin Quarter, where some of the best couscous in Paris is found.

French chefs working abroad, often adapting couscous to their ultra-refined French techniques and dishes, have added a new dimension to an old idea. The basic structure of the couscous dish is still intact: couscous as a substitute for rice is served as a bed for stews, kebabs, meat balls, assorted vegetables, or as a side dish, much like rice. But the presentation and styling differs dramatically, depending on the skill and artistry of the chef, as the recipes given here will attest.

Among our recipes, you’ll find Michel Richard’s Couscous With Lamb and Ratatouille molded with the help of a Charlotte ring into a turban. It’s a great dish to completely assemble ahead and zap in the microwave before serving to dinner guests.

Splichal’s Chicken and Cilantro Couscous is so low in calories (because it is made without fat and couscous is steamed) that it was introduced on the special gourmet diet menu at Hollywood Presbyterian Hospital recently.

You’ll also find the more lusty French bistro versions, as shared by chef Andre Coffyn of Michel Richard restaurant, and an authentically traditional Moroccan version as served at Marrakesh restaurant. These are rather complete meals in a dish, with the traditional accompanying salads served as appetizers. The couscous is eaten ceremoniously, with each diner adding as much of the vegetables, meat and broth to their plate of couscous as desired. A hot sauce, called harrissa, is a touch of fire, which any seasoned harrissa eater will want to add to the couscous, and the less tolerant to spicy heat, not.

There is a transplanted Lebanese recipe for couscous from “The Complete Armenian Cookbook” (Rosekeer Press), by Alice Bezjian, of Bezjian’s grocery store, which not only carries many forms of couscous products, but the double-tierred pot called the couscousiere in which to make it, as well. Her recipe calls for using the tiny marble-type couscous called mougrabiye , eaten primarily in the Arab world, including Lebanon, where Bezjian’s Armenian family lived for many years.

We have also added a few microwave recipes for those who find microwaving foods more convenient. Basic recipes for cooking couscous in a steamer pot without fat and in a skillet with a small amount of butter are also included. The steamed couscous contains virtually no fat unless added, in case you need to watch calorie and fat intake. Michel Richard’s method calls for allowing the couscous to expand in hot water off the burner. This method produces a grainy texture that most aficionados prefer. Couscous that is over-steamed or overcooked should be avoided, just as you would avoid overcooking rice or spaghetti.

You can adapt couscous to any recipe using rice or pasta. There is no reason, however, why you cannot use your imagination to create your dishes around steamed or braised couscous. Used as you would rice, you can add any vegetables to the couscous or top it with any vegetable or meat stew, goulash, curry or any sauce or meats. Try adding your favorite Italian pasta sauce, Cajun-style, Thai or Japanese teriyaki sauces to couscous for a change of pace.

You’ll find several brands of couscous on the market, including some loosely packaged types in varying degrees of coarseness. The fine to medium grains are most commonly used. The larger grained couscous is more difficult to find. Couscous is generally available in gourmet food stores. Middle Eastern groceries usually have most grades of couscous, including the larger varieties.

To use the large-grain couscous, follow package directions or simply steam, braise or microwave them as you would the smaller grains, allowing extra time for cooking depending on size.

Some cooks prefer soaking the grains in water until the liquid is absorbed before cooking to expand and soften them, although most package directions may not call for doing so. Don’t be alarmed. Today’s processed couscous can be used either way--presoaked or as is.

Many North African cooks rub olive or other vegetable oil into the soaked grains between the palms of hands to aid the separation of the grains. But that is a matter of personal preference as well. You can serve the couscous plain or with butter or hot oil added for extra flavor and moistness. Juices from meats, vegetables, or sauces also are added according to taste. You can also add couscous to soups, as you would noodles or rice.

The double-tierred couscousiere (the French word for couscous maker), the utensil, used to steam-cook couscous in the steamer portion and the accompanying soup in the section below, is a worthwhile investment whether you plan to serve couscous often or not. It can be used to steam any foods. You can use any Western- or Oriental-style steamer using cheesecloth to contain the couscous grains and keep them from slipping through the perforations. Any makeshift steamer contraption will do, as a matter of fact.

Couscous cooked with soup, meat and vegetables makes a fabulous party meal, because all the components of the menu are conveniently cooked in a single pot. It also provides an opportunity to really do up the party with complementary decor, low table and seating arrangements, and adding the beautiful salads to the menu as well. If you are sticking to the Moroccan or Tunisian theme, end the meal with Arabic coffee (pulverized coffee boiled in water) and fresh fruit and cookies, or possibly a morsel of baklava (the layered or rolled type).

Couscousiere s are available at most Middle Eastern or Greek grocery stores, as well as upscale cookware stores.

CHICKEN COUSCOUS

JOACHIM SPLICHAL

1 (2- to 3-pound) chicken, cut up and skinned

3 cups defatted chicken stock

1 carrot, peeled

1/2 stalk celery, peeled

1 small onion, chopped

1 leek, well rinsed

1 turnip, peeled

1 lemon, halved

1/2 bunch cilantro, chopped

1 red onion

1 1/2 cups couscous

Cold Tomato Sauce

Place chicken in steamer basket. Place chicken stock, carrot, celery, onion, leek, turnip and lemon halves in bottom of steamer and bring to boil. Steam chicken until tender, about 35 to 40 minutes. Remove and cool chicken.

Meanwhile bring chicken broth to reboil in steamer pot. Add cilantro and red onion to broth. Place couscous in rinsed steamer basket and cook couscous until done, according to package directions.

Skin and bone chicken. Slice meat. Slice carrot, celery, onion, leek and turnip. Discard lemon. Arrange chicken and vegetables over couscous. Serve with Cold Tomato Sauce. Makes 4 servings.

Cold Tomato Sauce

8 plum tomatoes

1 bunch cilantro, chopped

1 (8-ounce) can tomato juice

1 bunch green onions, finely julienned

Dice tomatoes and combine with cilantro. Add tomato juice and green onions. Serve with couscous.

COUSCOUS MARRAKESH

1 (2 1/2- to 3-pound) chicken, cut up

3 carrots

1 onion

Salt, pepper

1 head cabbage, cut into eighths

4 zucchini, cut into large diagonal pieces

2 tomatoes, cut into quarters or eighths

Couscous for 6 to 8 servings

1/2 cup white raisins

Spicy Lamb Brochettes

Harissa (North African hot pepper paste), optional

Combine chicken, carrots and onion in large saucepan or bottom of couscousiere or bottom of steamer. Add water to cover and season to taste with salt and pepper. Bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer until carrots are almost done, about 20 minutes. Add cabbage, zucchini and tomatoes. Simmer 20 minutes until cabbage is tender.

While cabbage cooks, steam couscous in steamer rack over simmering water, as directed on package. Plump raisins in warm water to cover, about 20 minutes.

When ready to serve, mound couscous on large platter. Slice chicken meat off bone or place pieces of chicken with cut vegetables over couscous. Sprinkle with plumped raisins, and surround platter with Spicy Lamb Brochettes. Mix harissa into broth mixture. Spoon some broth over couscous and vegetables and serve remaining broth on side. Makes 6 to 8 servings.

Spicy Lamb Brochettes

1 pound ground lean lamb or beef

1/4 cup chopped parsley

1/4 cup chopped cilantro

1 medium onion, grated

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon paprika

1 teaspoon black pepper

Salt

Combine lamb, parsley, cilantro, onion, cumin, paprika, pepper and salt to taste. Mix well. Shape about 1/4 cup ground meat mixture into 3 1/2-inch sausage and thread 2 or 3 sausages lengthwise through long metal skewer. Broil about 2 inches from source of heat until browned on all sides. Makes 12 sausages.

SWEET COUSCOUS DESSERT

Couscous for 4 servings

1/2 cup white raisins

1/2 cup powdered sugar

Prepare couscous as directed on package. Meanwhile, plump raisins in warm water to cover. Drain and add to prepared couscous. Mix in half powdered sugar. Mound couscous on platter and shift top with remaining powdered sugar. Serve as dessert with fruit, if desired. Makes 4 to 8 servings.

MICHEL RICHARD’S COUSCOUS WITH CRAYFISH

1 pound crayfish or prawns

1 tablespoon olive oil

Crayfish Stock

6 ounces chicken stock

Couscous for 4 persons (about 1 cup)

Beet Juice

Olive oil

1 ounce butter

Pinch cumin

Salt, pepper

4 (6-ounce) fillets red snapper

Saute crayfish in olive oil until red in color. Cool, then remove shells and heads, reserving for Crayfish Stock. Set flesh aside.

Bring chicken stock to boil in saucepan. Add 1 tablespoon Beet Juice and bring to boil. Add couscous. Stir to mix, then remove from heat. Cover and let stand 5 to 10 minutes. When cool, add 2 teaspoons olive oil and butter.

Bring Crayfish Stock to boil. Add remaining beet juice, cumin and salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.

Season snapper fillets to taste with salt and pepper. Saute in 1 tablespoon olive oil until just tender.

Line 4-inch Charlotte mold or sterilized large tuna can with label and top removed with plastic wrap. Place crayfish flesh spoke fashion in bottom of mold. Top with couscous, packing well. Unmold onto platter. Top with more shrimp. Brush with oil. Serve snapper fillets on other side of plate. Serve with Crayfish Stock. Makes 4 servings.

Crayfish Stock

Heads and shells of crayfish or shrimp

1 small onion

1 clove garlic

1 teaspoon chopped tarragon

1 teaspoon tomato paste

1 cup white wine

Water

Beet Juice

Combine crayfish heads and shells, onion, garlic and tarragon in saucepan. Stir in tomato paste, wine and enough water to cover shells. Bring to boil, reduce heat and simmer 20 minutes. Set aside to cook with beets. Push beets through strainer and blend with 1 1/2 cups reserved Beet Juice. Makes about 2 cups.

Beet Juice

1 large beet, chopped

Chicken or fish broth

Place beet in saucepan. Add enough broth to cover. Bring to boil, reduce heat and simmer 10 minutes or until tender. Strain and reserve about 1 1/2 cups broth.

SWEET COUSCOUS

1 cup orange juice

1 tablespoon chopped ginger root

1 cup couscous

1/4 to 1/2 cup granulated sugar

2 blood oranges

2 small oranges

Powdered sugar

Chopped mint

Bring orange juice and ginger to boil in saucepan. Stir in couscous and granulated sugar. Remove from heat. Cover and let stand 10 minutes. To serve, mound couscous on individual plates. Garnish top of mound with alternating blood and regular orange segments. Sprinkle powdered sugar and mint over remaining segments and pour any remaining juice over. Serve with couscous. Makes 4 to 6 servings.

MICHEL’S COUSCOUS WITH LAMB

1 (1-pound) loin of lamb

Salt, pepper

1 clove garlic, split

1 cup chicken broth

1 cup couscous

1 tablespoon olive oil

Ratatouille

Rub lamb loin with salt and pepper to taste and split side of garlic cloves. Place in baking pan and roast at 400 degrees 20 to 30 minutes or until meat thermometer reaches 140 to 150 degrees, depending on rareness desired. Do not overcook.

Bring chicken broth to boil with salt and pepper to taste. Add couscous, stir and remove from heat. Stir in oil and let stand 10 minutes.

To serve, slice lamb thinly. Using 4-inch Charlotte mold or clean, empty ring fashioned from 12-ounce (2-inch deep) sterilized tuna can with label, lid and bottom removed, overlap slices in bottom and sides of mold or ring. Pack couscous over lamb almost to rim. Top evenly with some of ratatouille. Invert molds on serving plate and top with more ratatouille and juices from lamb and ratatouille. Serve at once. Makes 4 servings.

Ratatouille

1 Japanese eggplant

1 tomato

1 zucchini

1 tablespoon olive oil

1/2 yellow pepper, diced

1/2 sweet red pepper, diced

1/2 green pepper, diced

1/2 cured lemon or zest from 1 lemon

1/2 red onion, diced

1 clove garlic, minced

1 tablespoon minced fresh basil

1 teaspoon cumin

Salt, pepper

Cut eggplant in half. Scoop out seeds and discard, leaving only 1/2-inch shell with skin intact. Cut shells into tiny dice. Cut tomato in halves, scoop out seeds and discard. Cut tomato into tiny dice. Repeat for zucchini.

Heat oil in large skillet. Add eggplant, tomato, zucchini, peppers, lemon peel, onion, garlic, basil and cumin. Saute until vegetables are barely cooked. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Place in freezer tray to cool in freezer to stop further cooking and preserve color. At last minute reheat and assemble with couscous as directed in recipe. Makes about 4 cups.

SPICY SHRIMP COUSCOUS

Couscous for 4 persons

1 pound large shrimp or prawns, shelled and cleaned

Salt, pepper

1 tablespoon butter

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 medium onion, chopped

1 clove garlic, minced

1 tablespoon chopped cilantro

Juice of 1/2 lime

1/2 cup white wine

Cilantro sprigs

Prepare couscous according to package directions and keep warm.

Sprinkle shrimp with salt and pepper. Melt butter with oil in skillet. Add onion and garlic and saute until onion is tender. Add shrimp and chopped cilantro. Saute until shrimp is golden, about 7 minutes. Remove shrimp and set aside to keep warm.

Add wine to skillet. Simmer until wine is reduced by half. Place warm couscous on platter. Top with sauce and shrimp. Garnish with cilantro sprigs. Makes 4 servings.

QUICK SKILLET COUSCOUS

1 pound couscous

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 cups hot broth or hot water

Salt

Dash cumin

Dash paprika

1 tablespoon butter

Brown couscous in oil. Add hot broth and let stand until liquid is absorbed. Couscous will expand. Add salt, cumin, paprika and butter. Stir and mound on serving dish. Place in 350 degrees oven 5 minutes to dry slightly. Before serving separate grains with fork. Makes 6 to 8 servings.

COUSCOUS MICHEL RICHARD

RESTAURANT

1 sea-bass or grouper

4 ounces well soaked garbanzo beans

4 carrots

3 turnips

2 zucchini

3 tomatoes

4 potatoes

Dash saffron

1 pound couscous

1/2 lemon

Keftas

Have scales of sea-bass or grouper removed and fish cleaned. Separate head and fillet meat, reserving bones and flesh separately.

Place head and fish bones in strainer and rinse well. Combine fish bones, head and beans in pot filled 2/3 full with water in bottom section of couscousiere or steamer pot. Bring to boil. Simmer fish broth 1 hour.

Strain broth, discard bones and head and return broth to couscousiere. Add carrots, turnips, zucchini, tomatoes, potatoes and saffron. Add more water to fill pot 2/3 full, if necessary. Bring to boil. Mound uncooked couscous in steamer rack of couscousiere. Fit over simmering broth, cover and simmer over medium-low heat 1 hour.

Remove couscous in steamer rack and cover with clean towel. Cut sea-bass or grouper fillets into 1-inch strips and add to stock in couscousiere. Simmer over low heat 30 minutes.

To serve, place couscous grains in serving bowl. Place Keftas in large platter and cover with its own broth. Strain fish-vegetable broth in couscousiere into soup terrine. In another platter, arrange fish and vegetables.

To serve, mound desired amount of couscous in center of each soup plate. Top with fish and vegetables, as desired, then ladle as much broth as desired over fish and grains. Serve at once. Makes 6 to 8 servings.

Keftas

2 pounds any kind fish (pollock, snapper, orange roughy)

3 onions, diced

1 sprig parsley

2 cloves garlic, crushed

2 stalks celery, diced

3 eggs

1/2 cup dry bread crumbs

Salt, pepper

Dash paprika

Olive oil

Place fish, onions, parsley, garlic and celery in food processor and grind to make hash. Stir in eggs, bread crumbs, salt and pepper to taste and paprika. Knead fish mixture, then form into patties 1 1/2-inches in diameter.

Fry patties in small amount oil until browned on both sides. Place all patties in skillet. Add water to barely cover. Bring to boil, reduce heat and simmer 1 hour, adding water to maintain sauce.

MICROWAVE COUSCOUS

JAMBALAYA

1/2 cup chopped onion

1/2 cup chopped green pepper

1 medium clove garlic, minced

Dash cayenne pepper

2 tablespoons butter

1 (10 3/4-ounce) can tomato soup

1/2 cup water

1 cup couscous

1 cup diced cooked ham

Dash hot pepper sauce

1/2 pound small shrimp, cleaned

Combine onion, green pepper, garlic, cayenne pepper and butter in 1 1/2-quart microwave-safe baking dish. Cover and microwave on HIGH (100% power) 2 to 3 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Stir halfway through cooking.

Stir in tomato soup, water, couscous, ham and hot pepper sauce. Cover. Microwave on HIGH 5 minutes, stirring halfway through cooking.

Add shrimp and microwave on HIGH 2 minutes or until shrimp are cooked. Let stand, covered, 5 minutes. Makes 4 servings.

LEBANESE COUSCOUS

1 to 1 1/2 pounds chicken legs and breasts

4 cups water

1/2 inch cinnamon stick

1/2 teaspoon peppercorns

1/2 teaspoon whole allspice

1/2 teaspoon caraway seeds

1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 pound stew meat, cut into cubes

1/2 pound tiny onions

2 tablespoons butter

2 cups beef or chicken broth

1 (8-ounce) can garbanzo beans

1/2 pound large grain couscous (mougrabiye)

Dash black pepper

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground allspice

1/2 teaspoon ground caraway seeds

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

Sauce

Place chicken in saucepan. Cover with water and bring to boil over high heat. Reduce heat and cook 10 minutes, removing foam from surface as needed. Stir in cinnamon stick, peppercorns, whole allspice, caraway seeds, cumin seeds and salt. Cook until chicken is tender, about 15 minutes longer. Drain, reserving broth. Bone and skin chicken and set aside.

Return broth to saucepan. Add stew meat and cook until tender, about 1 hour. Drain, reserving 2 cups broth.

In separate pan, saute onions in butter until translucent. Add reserved broth. Cook 15 minutes. Stir in beans and simmer 5 minutes. Add dry couscous and cook 5 minutes or until couscous is tender. Add cooked meat, pepper, ground cinnamon, allspice, caraway and cumin.

Lightly grease 14x9-inch pan. Pour couscous mixture into pan and cover with chicken pieces. Pour Sauce evenly over casserole. Bake at 350 degrees 15 minutes. Makes 6 servings.

Sauce

1 tablespoon flour

1 tablespoon butter

1 cup broth

Salt

Melt butter and add flour. Stir until flour is smooth. Gradually add broth and stir until smooth. Season to taste with salt.