Ingredients
You will need (as a light lunch for 4):
150g couscous
250ml chicken (or turkey) stock
50g walnuts, chopped and lightly toasted
4-5 rashers smoked, streaky bacon
10 sprouts, shredded
50g dried cranberries
Salt and pepper
Oil for frying
Method
Put the couscous into a large bowl. Bring the stock to a boil and pour over the couscous. Cover and put to one side for five minutes.
Add a little oil to a frying pan on a medium heat and add the bacon. Fry until golden brown.
While the bacon cooks add the walnuts and dried cranberries to the couscous with some salt and pepper and give it all a good mix together to fluff up the couscous.
Remove the bacon from the frying pan and add it to the couscous. Leave a little of the fat from the bacon in the pan and return it to a medium heat. Add the shredded sprouts and fry quickly until the sprouts are slightly crispy on the edges.
Mix the sprouts into the couscous and serve.
I really enjoyed this. The couscous was light and crumbly, the bacon savoury and smoky, the walnuts crisp and toasted, sweet chewy cranberries and lovely golden brown sprouts. Sprouts are in my favourite state when they are fried as you get that lovely toasted cabbage taste. This would be great served as a side for a party or for a few people and a couple of forks. A nice big bowl of texture, colour and contrast.
It takes skill to fry Brussels Sprouts – seriously! Most people cook them so that they are burnt and bitter on the outside while still squeaky and nearly raw on the inside – and that’s even when they halve them.
Have you tried Houmous in a sandwich? It’s lovely, especially with some crunchy lettuce and a few slices of tomato. Don’t think you’d persuade Couscous to stay within two slices of bread though!
Couscous combines so well with dried fruit! Love the cranberries in this, and who can resist bacon? But it’s the sprouts that I’m finding most interesting – great way to use them. Thanks.
oh yum! I love the look of this, I’m a huge fan of couscous.
That sounds wonderful! Much better than Brussels sprouts and mincemeat.
Couscous, one of those I am alien to still. I have been saying the same over and over. I have to made it a reality by trying out this delicious recipe, still need to make some changes because of the nonavailability of certain ingredients.
Sounds and looks good. Great idea. I don’t know about you but I just wan’t wait for the feeding season to begin!
What a happy Christmas recipe! Nice break from sweets. Thanks 🙂 ela
Such a gorgeous dish – love the contrast of flavors/textures in here! and I’m loving your 12 christmas recipes so far, they all look wonderful!
This is such a perfect Christmas dish. I love the texture and flavours.
This looks like a good idea. I assume it would be good with quinoa instead of cous cous too if you wanted to eliminate wheat and give your stomach something easy to digest.
Wishing you and your family a wonderfully magical and merry Christmas xx