Over the years, couscous has become a main staple for my family and is very popular in the U.S. It’s very inexpensive, simple to make and I’ve discovered there are several types, including Israeli (which has bigger, pearl-sized grains), as well as many different brands. Some brands come in a box, but I find many of them are too refined. My favorite brand is Rice Select, which also packages the exotic jasmine and saffron rices in plastic containers (which of course I recycle many times over). You can also find couscous at co-ops, gourmet shops and stores that specialize in rices and pastas, and sell it by the pound.

What I love most about this dish is its versatility. Couscous is great under stews or soups, or served alongside salads, tabouli, and hummus and pita bread or simply alone.  It’s also great as a base in food martinis, and can also be served hot or cold, but I prefer my couscous served at room temperature.

I blend in all types of vegetables and spices to make all different types: curry, sun-dried tomatoes, cilantro, cucumbers, red onions, heirloom tomatoes or garbanzo beans. There are endless possibilities for flavoring couscous and the directions to prepare it are simple.

Curried couscous with dates (serves 5)

One dutch oven

2 cups of couscous

2  cups of boiling water

3  scallions thinly sliced

1/2  cup of finely chopped dates

2  tbs curry powder

2 tbs finely chopped fresh cilantro

1 tbsp garlic powder

1 package Sazon seasoning

Salt/pepper to taste

3 tbs virgin olive oil

Heirloom tomatoes and sprigs of fresh parsley for garnish 

• Bring water to a boil and add couscous.
• Turn off the flame, cover tightly and let sit for five minutes.
• Work through it with a fork or use your hands (with plastic gloves, of course), making sure that each grain stands alone.
• Stir in all of the other ingredients, and garnish with heirloom or grape tomatoes, and a sprig of fresh parsley

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Martinis glasses that are delicate  must be handled with respect and grace, and the wide mouth requires that they be held a certain way. They make a beautiful presentation.

You can fill up your guests and feed them well with small bites of hearty food, along with delicious hors d’oeuvres. Accompanied by salad or pickle forks, fancy toothpicks or long-stemmed spoons (depending on how deep the glasses), food martinis can make “chat and chew” an entirely new art.

A meal served in a martini glass is fabulous for a myriad of reasons, not the least of which is that it is economical.  The base of a food martini can be made with a variety of inexpensive starches like pasta, rice, couscous and mashed potatoes for a dinner meal, or ice cream, yogurt or pudding for dessert. You can also embellish just one dish, like mashed or sweet potatoes, with lots of gourmet toppings.

Mashed potaotes topped with grated cheese and garnished with cilantro can be a hearty dish, as in the photo at right (credited to photographer Vidiot).

But my favorite food martini pairing is curried couscous with teriyaki salmon bites and arugula salad.

Other food martini pairings:

• Wasabi /garlic mashed potatoes with baby lamb chops
• Apple sweet potatoes with broiled tilapia nuggets and fennel-laced string beans
• Curried couscous with teriyaki salmon and arugula salad
• Hominy grits with collard greens and creamed chicken
• Red beans and rice with vegetarian riblets
• Hummus with pita chips and assortment of olives
• Fruit kabobs with vanilla yogurt
• Jasmine rice with pan-seared chicken breast and sun-dried tomatoes
• Panini martinis – a bed of coleslaw with an assortment of holiday shaped paninis

Related posts:

1. Small plates for holiday parties
2. Panini martinis
3. Holiday turkey leftovers

My  5 ¼ pound leg of lamb needed a place to roast, and fast.

And, my eldest daughter Ariell, whose oven I was supposed to hijack, was nowhere to be found.

Thankfully, my neighbor Joan was there to rescue me and allowed me to use hers. She readily agreed when she realized the bind I was in and pre-heated her oven to 375° F  while I went back home across the street to gussy up the lamb with fresh garlic and rosemary, baby carrots and red onions.

Joan was on her way to take a nap, so rather than staying in her kitchen while she slept I preferred to leave the lamb in her oven for the two hours it needed to cookrather than hovering over the lamb to baste it. That allowed me time to go back home to prepare the rest of the food, finish tidying up the house and showering before my company arrived.

The Menu

Crudités’ & spinach/artichoke dip

Cheese plate with sesame/rice crackers & grapes

Spring salad with  arugula,  goat  cheese and beets

String beans and mushrooms tossed with fresh garlic

Curried couscous with yellow raisins and scallions

Buffalo wings with blue cheese dip

Glazed teriyaki salmon

Roast leg of lamb with rosemary garlic glaze

Blueberry and banana walnut pound cakes

Vanilla ice cream

My biggest fear was that without my continually basting the lamb, it would dry out, but it turned out tender and juicy, thanks to  Joan who had set her alarm so she could turn off the oven. She must have known I’d arrive later than the two hours we calculated for the lamb to roast to perfection. Fortunately, it was moist, but the meat didn’t fall off the bones like it does when you constantly baste it with its own drippings.

My next concern is how to buy a new oven. I crave a Wolf 6-burner with a double oven that costs about $10,000.

Related posts:

1. Good and hearty vegetable soup
2. Good ole Mac ‘n Cheese