I have said it many times over and I will say it again – don’t forget the side dishes! While it is called a “Main Dish” for a reason – some times a steak is just a steak and a grilled chicken breast is just chicken. And this means the side dish has to step things up to make the meal a win as a whole. If you are looking for a winning side dish then you have come to the right blog – because this recipe for Lemon Pine Nut Couscous is gonna knock your socks off!
Okay – I know pine nuts can be spendy (mine were $25 per pound!). But they really do a bring a great flavor to the dish. You definitely want to get them all golden and toasted before adding them in. And – NO – you do not need oil or butter or anything in the pan when you toast them. You are trying to get their own oils to be releasing not coating them in anything. This is a great opportunity to practice your pan flipping skills too!
I used Moroccan style couscous for this recipe. It is the smaller more granule style of couscous. I do typically use the Israeli or Pearl variety of couscous, but this style is tasty too. You might also see it as Golden Couscous or you could use the Tri-Color Couscous. If you wanted to use the bigger pearl variety, you do not even need to adjust the amount of liquid. Moroccan style is a one and a half cup liquid to one cup couscous ratio as does pearl – so use your preference.
There are so many things you could serve this couscous dish with and it would be ah-mazing. When I prepared it last, I added in some Moroccan beef kefta with a cucumbers, herbed Greek yogurt and it was money! So much great flavor with all the lemon, cilantro, cumin and garlic. You could also serve it with a great tandoori chicken preparation or maybe some lamb meatballs!
Now Let’s Get Cookin’!
Lemon Pine Nut Couscous
Ingredients
- ½ cup Pine Nuts
- 1½ qt Broth chicken or vegetable
- 3 Garlic Cloves minced
- 1 tsp Salt
- 1 tsp Pepper
- ¼ cup Lemon Juice
- 3 cups Moroccan Couscous
- ½ cup Cilantro chopped
Instructions
- In a large saute pan over medium-high heat, and pine nuts. Stir and shake until lightly toasted (slightly brown). Remove and set aside.
- In the same pan add broth, garlic, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Once boiling remove to from heat. Stir in couscous and cover with lid. Let stand for 10 minutes.
- Remove lid and add cilantro and toasted pine nuts. Fluff and stir before serving.
Estelle Forrest’s self-published first cookbook – Homemade on a Weeknight: A Family Cookbook – was created after a lot of playing around in the kitchen. You can purchase your own copy here:
AVAILABLE IN PRINT OR KINDLE eBOOK VERSIONS
Estelle self-published a second cookbook – Burgers on a Weeknight – recently. It has over 60 delicious burger creations! You can purchase your own copy here:
AVAILABLE IN PRINT OR KINDLE eBOOK VERSIONS
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