Entree: Morocco – Casablanca & Atlantic Coast – Couscous Royale (steamed couscous with meats and vegetables)

Food safety reminder: Follow safe food-handling practices and use a food thermometer to verify safe internal cooking temperatures.

Serving Size: 6

Approximate Time

Prep 45 min

Cook 1 hr 30 min

Total 2 hrs 15 min

Ingredients

- 3 cups (510 g) medium-grain couscous (dry)
- 3 tbsp (45 ml) olive oil, plus more for serving
- 1 lb (454 g) lamb shoulder, cut into 1½-inch pieces
- 4 bone-in chicken thighs, approx. 6 oz (170 g) each
- 8 merguez sausages, approx. 1 lb (450 g) total
- 2 onions, finely chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tsp (6 g) ground ras el hanout (or substitute 1 tsp cinnamon + 1 tsp ground cumin + 1 tsp ground coriander)
- 1/4 tsp (0.1 g) saffron threads, soaked in 2 tbsp (30 ml) warm water (optional)
- 2 tsp (10 g) sweet paprika
- 1 tsp (5 g) ground black pepper
- 2 tsp (10 g) kosher salt, adjust to taste
- 6 cups (1.4 L) chicken or beef stock
- 2 carrots, peeled and cut into large chunks
- 2 zucchini, halved and cut into large pieces
- 2 turnips or rutabagas, peeled and cut into chunks
- 1 can (15 oz / 425 g) chickpeas, drained and rinsed (or 1½ cups / 270 g cooked chickpeas)
- 2 tomatoes, peeled and quartered (or 1 can 14 oz / 400 g diced)
- 2 tbsp (30 ml) tomato paste
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 1/4 cup (15 g) fresh cilantro, chopped, plus extra for garnish
- 1/4 cup (15 g) fresh parsley, chopped, plus extra for garnish
- 4 tbsp (60 g) unsalted butter (optional, for finishing couscous)
- Harissa paste, to serve

Instructions

1. Brown the meats: heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a large heavy pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Sear lamb pieces until browned, remove. Add chicken thighs and brown, remove. Brown merguez sausages briefly, remove.
2. Sauté aromatics: reduce heat to medium, add remaining 1 tbsp olive oil. Sauté chopped onions until translucent, add garlic and spices (ras el hanout, paprika, pepper) and cook 1 minute until fragrant. Stir in tomato paste and saffron water if using.
3. Deglaze and braise: return lamb and chicken to the pot, add stock, bay leaves, cinnamon stick, and tomatoes. Bring to a simmer, cover partially, and braise gently for 45 minutes.
4. Add sausages, chickpeas and vegetables: add carrots, turnips, and chickpeas; simmer 15 minutes, then add zucchini and merguez and simmer another 10–15 minutes until vegetables and meats are tender. Adjust seasoning with salt.
5. Prepare couscous: place couscous in a large bowl, sprinkle with 2 tbsp olive oil and 1 tsp salt, add 1½ cups (360 ml) hot water or an equal measure of some strained stew broth, stir, cover and let sit 5 minutes. Fluff with fork, then steam traditionally in a couscoussier or in a steamer basket over the simmering stew for two 10-minute steaming cycles, stirring and fluffing between steamings. If no steamer, rehydrate with hot broth and fluff, finishing by tossing with butter.
6. Finish and assemble: transfer couscous to a large communal platter, make a well in the center and arrange lamb, chicken, merguez, vegetables and chickpeas on top. Ladle hot spiced broth over and around the couscous.
7. Garnish and serve: sprinkle with chopped cilantro and parsley, serve with extra broth on the side and harissa to taste.