Fruity Couscous

This fruity couscous blurs the line between a side dish and a dessert. Pre-steeped couscous gets sauteed in butter with rum-soaked raisins, a touch of sugar, and chopped nuts, then topped with a dollop of yogurt or sour cream. It’s sweet, nutty, and comes together in about 25 minutes.

Soaking the raisins in rum is a small step that transforms them from chewy, one-note dried fruit into plump, boozy little flavor bombs. The rum infuses the raisins and also adds its warm, caramel-like sweetness to the couscous when they all hit the hot butter together.

Breaking up the steeped couscous clumps with your fingers before adding it to the skillet ensures even sauteing. Clumpy couscous means some grains get toasted and buttery while others stay soft and bland inside the lump.

The pinch of salt and pepper in a sweet dish might seem odd, but a little salt amplifies the sweetness and the nuttiness. It’s the same principle that makes salted caramel work.

Walnuts, pecans, or sliced almonds all work here. Stirring them in off the heat preserves their crunch. Cooking nuts in butter makes them soggy.

Kitchen Tips

• Steep the couscous in boiling water for the full 15 minutes before starting the skillet work. Understepped couscous will be crunchy in the center
• Use good quality dark rum for soaking the raisins. The flavor carries directly into the finished dish
• Saute for just a couple of minutes. You want the couscous warm and lightly toasted, not dried out
• A cool dollop of tangy yogurt on top contrasts beautifully with the warm, buttery couscous

Variations

• Use dried cranberries or chopped dried apricots instead of raisins for a different fruity sweetness
• Add a pinch of cinnamon and cardamom to the butter for a Middle Eastern-inspired version
• Swap rum for orange juice for an alcohol-free alternative that still adds fruity sweetness