Karl’s Lemon Saffron Couscous

I am making Surf-and-Turf for Miriam’s birthday dinner this weekend. I am making a Tunisian salad and I thought lemon couscous would be a good compliment. I have made lemon couscous before, but I thought I could improve it.

Karl’s Lemon Saffron Couscous

I was roasting the vegetables for the salad on the barbecue and I decided to add a head of Elephant garlic to the grill. I used the resultant creamy mild garlic paste in a couple of my dishes. Elephant garlic is not garlic, but in the leek family, it only smells and tastes like a mild garlic.

Karl’s Lemon Saffron Couscous

Ingredients

70 threads saffron

3 Tbs. butter (or olive oil for Vegan)
3 green onions, sliced finely, separate uses
1 clove Elephant garlic, roasted and mashed
1½ cups Chicken stock or water
4 Tbs. fresh lemon juice, separate uses
1 tsp. lemon zest
½ tsp. Kosher salt

1½ cups plain couscous
¼ cup flat-leafed parsley, minced

Directions

1. Put the saffron in a small bowl and crush it with the back of a spoon. Add two tablespoons of boiling water and set it aside.

Tip: Try not to touch the saffron with your fingers after it gets wet—you want the yellow color in your dish, not on your hands.

2. Melt the butter in a medium sauce pan over medium high heat.

3. Sauté the white parts of the onions for one minute, until fragrant.

4. Add the garlic paste, liquid, two tablespoons of lemon juice, the zest and salt.

Tip: If you are preparing many dishes, you can put this dish on hold at this point for up to an hour. Couscous cooks very quickly with no pot watching. You should finished this dish off just before serving.

5. Strain the saffron water through a fine meshed sieve into the pot.

6. Bring the pot to a boil and stir in the couscous.

7. Cover the pot and remove it from the heat.

8. Let the pot stand, untouched, for five minutes.

9. Fluff the couscous and stir in most of the parsley, the remaining lemon juice and green parts of the onions.

10. Transfer the couscous to a serving bowl and garnish with the remaining parsley.