Lamb Couscous
Submitted by suzq
Saffron-braised lamb shoulder served over herb couscous with cucumber, red pepper, and fresh mint. A North African-inspired one-pot meal with bright, herby accompaniments.
YIELD
6 servingsPREP
20COOK
READY
Cubed lamb shoulder braised in saffron-infused stock until tender, ladled over fluffy couscous tossed with fresh cucumber, red bell pepper, spring onions, and a handful of chopped herbs. The rich, golden lamb juices soak into the grain for a dish that’s both hearty and fresh.
Saffron colors the braising liquid a deep gold and adds a floral, honey-like aroma that’s unmistakably North African. Just a pinch is enough. The threads bloom in the hot stock and infuse the lamb as it simmers.
Cooking the onions low and slow for 10 minutes without coloring extracts their sweetness without any caramelization. In this dish, you want that mellow sweetness in the sauce, not browned onion flavor.
Reducing the stock after the lamb is done concentrates the flavors. You want about half the original volume. That concentrated liquid becomes the “lots of juice” the recipe calls for, and it’s the soul of the finished plate.
The couscous salad underneath is deliberately fresh and cool: raw vegetables, olive oil, mint, coriander, chives, and parsley. That contrast between the warm, rich lamb and the bright, herby grain is what makes this work.
Chef Tips
- Sear the lamb in batches. Crowding the pan steams the meat instead of browning it, and you lose that caramelized flavor.
- Fluff the couscous with a fork after the water absorbs. A spoon compresses the grains into a dense block.
- Serve with plenty of juice. The braising liquid is the sauce. Dry couscous without it is half the dish.
Variations
Ingredients
Directions
Lightly sauté the meat in two tablespoons of olive oil.
Remove and add the onions, cooking them over a low heat without colouring for 10 minutes.
Add the garlic, sauté for 1 minute and return the meat to the pan along with the saffron.
Pour over stock, season with salt and pepper and simmer, uncovered, for one hour, or until the lamb is tender.
You should end up with about half the quantity of liquid.
If there is more than this, remove the meat and onions and reduce the stock over a high heat.
Add one pint of boiling water to the couscous, cover with a tea towel and leave for 10 minutes, or until all the water is absorbed.
Finely chop the spring onion, core and deseed the red pepper and top and tail the cucumber, remove the seeds and finely dice.
Fluff up the couscous with a fork, and the chopped vegetables, 2 fl oz of olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
Add the chopped herbs and keep warm.
To serve, ladle the lamb on top of the couscous and serve with lots of juice.
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