Create a Meaty Moorish Marvel
In the days when health-conscious people were regarded as cranks, couscous was the food cranks wer made of. Now it enjoys the reputation it deserves as a marvellous dish for anyone who appreciates delicious food.

Couscous is as versatile as pasta, adaptable to whatever you wish to add it to, and the dishes created around it are now endless.

This recipe is called ROYALE because it's the king of all the couscous-based meals I have tasted. When you cook this, it will seem as if there is enough to feed your family twice over. And there's a reason for this - couscous is wickedly moreish. Most people have a small break after eating, then find themselves spooning out another serving.

This meaty marvel is an intriguing mixture of French and Arabian cookery - respectively, the delicate, flavourful overtones and the spice. In particular, the harissa really hots things up. It's a spicy chilli paste, available from good supermarkets and delicatessens.

After this gastronomic blowout, try the Peach Pancakes.

INGREDIENTS
  • 2 tblsp (30ml) olive oil
  • 2.5lb (1.2kg) leg of lamb
  • 1 x 2-3lb (1-1.35kg) chicken jointed
  • salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 4 garlic cloves, chopped
  • 2 x 14.5oz (415g) tins chickpeas, drained
  • 1 large onion, chopped
  • 1 x 15oz (425g) tin chopped tomatoes
  • 3 courgettes, sliced
  • 1 red pepper, chopped
  • 1 aubergine, chopped
  • 1 tblsp harissa
  • 1 tblsp hot paprika or cayenne pepper
  • 1 tsp ground turmeric
  • 1 tsp finely chopped thyme
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 8oz (225g) cooked spicy sausage, cut into thick slices
  • 1lb (450g) couscous, cooked as instructed on packet
Heat oil in a flameproof casserole, add lamb and chicken. Brown for 10 minutes, then season. Add remaining ingredients, except the sausage and couscous. Pour in 10fl oz (275ml) water, cover, cook over a low heat for 1 hour

Strain off liquid, reserve. Remove lamb and cut meat into chunks. Stir all the ingredients, including sausage, into cooked couscous. Reheat by putting mixture into a sieve and steaming over boiling water. Reheat reserved liquid and pour over couscous before serving

Please send any comments on this page to:
G.Mills@compserv.gla.ac.uk
(George W. Mills, Computing Service, University of Glasgow)