Happy New Year!

Happy New Year to food bloggers and their followers everywhere. I look forward to reading about and trying all the wonderful recipes put forward by you everyday. Food blogging can be a costly, labor-intensive activity so it has to be a labor of love. Thank you.

Foodie Interest: Birthday Cake!

This amazing cake was prepared for one of my bosses at Mary's Cake and Pastries in Northport, Alabama. I blogged about them once before on my other blog back in January 2009.

According to Mary's blog:

It's three tiers of red velvet cake and one fake (bottom) tier.

The cake is covered in buttercream and decorated with fondant (for the hills and road). The signs are decorated shortbread cookies, and the ambulance is made from rice crispies treats. 

The ambulance even says AMBULANCE (backwards) on the front.

Check out Mary's blog, Cake Talk. Her cakes are so creative so I love to look at the pictures. Also, she occasionally throws in a recipe for a pie or cookies.

Superb Leftovers: Asian Pork Wrap

I'm not a fan of greed but to steal a line from the movie Wall Street and repeat in my best Gordon Gekko voice: Pig, for lack of a better word, is good.

To celebrate the first SEC bowl game of the season, I invited friends over for dinner and to watch the game. On the menu: Asian 5-Spice Barbecued Pork Tenderloin, Mango Citrus Salsa, Couscous, and Lime Sherbet Floats.

This very simple, very delicious Asian 5-Spice Barbecued Pork Tenderloin may just be my very favorite. A cooking time of only 25 minutes results in a moist, slightly pink and tender serving of pork with a blend of flavors that include Hoisin sauce, brown sugar, steak seasoning, orange zest, and orange juice. Top this with toasted sesame seeds and chopped fresh cilantro for additional flavors and you have an entree presentation you will be proud to serve.

To complement this dish, you can't go wrong with the Mango Citrus Salsa. If time allows, let sit overnight in the refrigerator to bring out the best of each flavor.

As much as I enjoyed last night's meal, today's leftovers were equally as easy and delicious. I placed slices of cold pork tenderloin topped with the mango citrus salsa on two flour tortillas and rolled (semi) tightly. I chose to eat it cold, although heating the pork slices and tortillas is certainly a choice.

Here are the two recipes as seen on Rachael Ray's 30 Minute Meals:

Ingredients

• 2 to 2 1/2 pounds pork tenderloins, trimmed of fat
• Steak seasoning blend or salt and freshly ground black pepper (I use McCormick Grill Mates Montreal Steak Seasoning.)
• 1/4 cup dark brown sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons Chinese 5 spice powder (found in spice section or Asian foods section)
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1/3 cup Hoisin prepared Chinese barbecue sauce
• 1 navel orange, zested and juiced
• 1 teaspoon dark sesame oil
• 2 teaspoons toasted sesame seeds, for garnish
• 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro, for garnish (chives may be used)

Salsa:

• 2 ripe mangoes, peeled and pitted, diced
• 1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
• 1 jalapeno, seeded and chopped
• 1/2 red onion, chopped
• 1 ripe lime, juiced
• 20 leaves basil, shredded
• Coarse salt

Directions:
Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.

Coat tenderloins in steak seasoning or season with salt and pepper. Combine brown sugar and 5 spice powder. Rub sugar and spice over pork. Brush baking dish or broiler pan with oil. Place pork in oven and bake 10 minutes. Combine barbecue sauce with orange zest and juice and sesame oil. Baste meat liberally with sauce and roast meat 15 minutes longer. Remove meat from oven and transfer to a serving platter. Coat meat with sesame and cilantro or chives for color.

Combine mangoes, bell pepper, jalapeno, onion, lime and basil in a bowl. Season with salt, to your taste.

I'm ready for more SEC football games!

Foodie Interest: Around The Blogosphere

When I find something that interests me, I like to share it here in case someone passing by might find it interesting as well. Here are a few things I found today.

Most of you know that I love Ina Garten (Barefoot Contessa). Can you imagine being invited for a visit?! Food writer, Petrit Hasenaj, sat in the famous kitchen and ruined a slice of pound cake. Read My Ina Garten Inspired Cream Cheese Pound Cake at My Social Chef.

Do you love Cheetos as much as I do? I could eat them every day. The crunchy ones. The big bags. Michelle at Big Black Dog has taken her love of Cheetos to the next level with a Grilled Cheetos Sandwich.

Pam at Sidewalk Shoes has a How To Cook Everything iPhone App giveaway (Chef Mark Bittman). I signed up. I need all the help I can get!

Lastly, How to Snap Pictures of Your Holiday Food That Look Good Enough to Eat by Lou Manna with slideshow in the food section of Huffington Post.

Tomato Basil Bread Pudding

I had this lovely loaf of multi-grain bread that was one hour away from transforming from lovely loaf to potential weapon, i.e., too hard to slice, when I remembered seeing a recipe for bread pudding. This stood out because: 1) I love tomatoes and basil together, and 2) I had only seen bread pudding as a dessert. I had to use extra muscle to cut the bread into cubes but it was worth it.

I can see this dish as a nice addition to a special breakfast or brunch, maybe even a New Year's Day brunch. I actually had it for dinner and I had no complaints. The nutritional value could be increased by substituting spinach or other dark green leafy vegetable and maybe even adding/substituting goat cheese.

Tomato Basil Bread Pudding

Recipe courtesy Giada De Laurentiis
Serves:  4 to 6 servings

Ingredients

Filling:
•Butter, for greasing the baking dish
•1/2 (8 ounces) multi-grain loaf, cut into 3/4-inch cubes
•3 tablespoons olive oil
•1 large or 2 small shallots, thinly sliced (I used 1/2 small yellow onion)
•2 cloves garlic, minced
•12 ounces cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
•Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
•1 packed cup chopped fresh basil leaves
•1 1/2 cups (6 ounces) shredded Parmesan

Custard:
•6 large eggs, at room temperature
•1 cup whole milk
•1 teaspoon kosher salt
•1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Filling: Put an oven rack in the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Butter a 9 by 13 by 2-inch glass baking dish. Add the bread cubes and set aside.

In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the shallots and garlic. Cook, stirring constantly until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the tomatoes and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Cook until slightly soft, about 2 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the basil. Pour the tomato mixture and Parmesan cheese over the bread cubes and combine well.

Custard: In a large bowl, beat the eggs, milk, salt, and pepper together until smooth. Pour the custard over the bread mixture and gently toss to coat. Bake until slightly puffed and golden, about 25 to 30 minutes. Remove the pudding from the oven and let cool for 5 minutes. Cut into wedges and serve.

Foodie Interest: The Sprout Surprise Whopper

For people living in Edinburgh, Liverpool, and London, it is the last day to try Burger King UK's Sprout Surprise Whopper. I am not familiar with holiday traditions in the UK but apparently Brussels sprouts are part of a traditional Christmas dinner.  Burger King UK apparently took that to the fast food level.

Being a lover of cruciferous vegetables, I think this is a creative and festive idea for fast food. When prepared properly, the leaves can have a crunchy texture that (my guess) might hold up better than iceberg lettuce.

Despite my personal excitement over this offering, the burger has not been received favorably. According to the Facebook page:

Hi BKers – sorry to hear some of you weren’t too keen on the idea of the Sprout Surprise Whopper yesterday, but we’re confident that The King can make even Brussels Sprouts taste good! It’s on sale in Edinburgh , Liverpool, and London Westfield today for the same price as a standard Whopper– so pop along and try it and we guarantee you won't be disappointed.

I would try it at least once. What do you think? Do you think this could ever topple McDonald's McRib Sandwich in the United States?

Crispy Salt and Pepper French Toast

Savory, crispy, salty, heavy on the black pepper, spicy? I do not recall these words being used with any French toast I have ever eaten or prepared.

When I found this recipe, I knew it would be something I would enjoy. I found the introduction to this recipe, written by aliyaleekong at Food52, equally interesting:

This fried bread I grew up eating, called khara pao (khara means “spicy”), is South Asia’s answer to French toast, typically served with a kicked-up tomato ketchup. My family was partial to black pepper, but I’ve seen turmeric, chili powder, cayenne and even cumin added. And South Asia’s not the only one that goes the savoury route. In other cultures, they do similar-style “eggy toasts” – Italy’s has mozzarella and tomato sauce, Russia’s is simple salt, egg and milk, and Hungary serves theirs with onions, tomatoes, ketchup and even mayonnaise.

This recipe did not disappoint. It was delicious! My first attempt at preparation was almost perfect; however, it was slightly mushy in the center which I think could be resolved with using the day old bread as recommended. Also, I understand now the importance of cutting the bread on the diagonal to achieve that extra crispiness. The crispier, the better. If you don't routinely keep Sriracha hot chili sauce on hand, splurge on some for this recipe. It can be found in most grocery stores. Not optional, in my opinion, are the cilantro and green onions.
 
I can see this eaten alone or with scrambled eggs. How about with a tomato salsa? The possibilities are endless!

Crispy Salt and Pepper French Toast
Serves 4 to 6

French Toast::
5 eggs
3 tablespoons half-and-half
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons black pepper
1 1/2 tablespoon green onions, finely chopped (optional)
1 1/2 tablespoon cilantro, finely chopped (optional)
vegetable oil
butter
8 (1/2") slices day-old bread*, cut on the diagonal

Sauce::
Ketchup
Sriracha hot chili sauce

Directions:
1.In a bowl or baking dish, beat together eggs with half-and-half, salt, pepper, green onions, and cilantro.

2.Heat a medium or large skillet over medium-high heat. Cover the bottom of the skillet with vegetable oil and add a tablespoon or two of butter for taste.

3.Dip the bread triangles into the egg batter, drain off any excess, and place straight into the hot pan. Fry for 2 to 3 minutes on each side – you want to develop a golden-brown color and the texture should be crispier than traditional French toast. Place cooked toasts on a paper towel-lined plate or rack to drain.

4.In a small bowl, mix together ketchup and hot sauce to your desired heat tolerance.

5.Serve toasts warm with a side of the spicy ketchup.

6.*I like to use a country or pullman loaf for this. You want it to stand up to the egg batter and not get mushy, so I always go for a day-old loaf.

Eye of the Beholder: Cobb Salad

From HBO's Curb Your Enthusiasm:

Larry: I think I am just going to get a Cobb Salad. I'd like to make a few substitutions, if that's OK. I'll get... no bacon. No eggs. Blue cheese on the side.

Cliff Cobb: Are you sure you want a Cobb Salad? Do you do that every time you order that salad?

Larry: Do you have a problem with it?

Cliff Cobb: It's my grandfather's salad. I'm a Cobb of Cobb Salad fame.

Larry: I think that this is a real (expletive) story.

Larry: You know, my grandfather's name was Harold Bingo, and he invented the game "Bingo".

As the story goes, the Cobb Salad was created at The Brown Derby restaurant in Hollywood by owner, Bob Cobb, in 1926 or in 1937, depending on your source. In the Trick or Treat episode, Larry David made so many changes to his Cobb Salad order that it was renamed the David Salad. Love him or hate him, CYE's David certainly isn't shy.

All this to say, I may not have stayed exactly on recipe when I decided to serve a Cobb Salad, but I stayed pretty close. I realize it would be considered a "retro" salad, but I still enjoy serving it. It is pretty enough to be used as a centerpiece AND a great salad and/or main entree. These are higher fat toppings but I could argue it provides a balance of protein, fat, and carbohydrate.

My "Cobb" Salad
Servings: 4-6

Ingredients:
3 hearts romaine lettuce, washed and dried
4 large eggs, boiled and sliced
8 sliced bacon, chopped into 1/2-inch pieces
2 lemons, juiced
2 ripe avocados, halved and scooped from skins with a spoon, then sliced
2 vein-riped tomatoes, sliced (I used
1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
Blue cheese, crumbled

Directions:
In a small pot, cover eggs with cold water. Place over high heat and bring water to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer for 8 minutes. Immediately remove from heat and place under cold water. Peel and slice.

Chop bacon and brown in a skillet over medium high heat until crispy. Drain bacon on paper towels.

Toss sliced avocados with 1/2 lemon juice, to prevent browning.

Chop 3 hearts of romaine lettuce and place in a large serving platter or salad bowl. Cover lettuce with remainder of juice lemon juice then drizzle extra virgin olive oil over lettuce. Salt and pepper lettuce, to taste.

Serving:
I prefer serving on a large platter. Arrange rows of the hard boiled eggs, bacon bits, sliced avocado, sliced tomato, sliced red onions, and blue cheese. I like to use a flavorful extra-virgin olive oil as this, together with the freshly squeezed lemon juice, is the only salad dressing.

Avocado and Cilantro Mousse

What can I say? I made a mousse! Just the word 'mousse' sounds scary and way too difficult for my culinary skill level, but I was pleasantly surprised at how easy it was to make. I invited a couple of friends over for a visit and recipe testing. This appetizer got a very good review.

I also got some good advice about how to remove the mousse from the ramekin more easily. Place plastic wrap in the ramekin first then spoon the mixture on top of the plastic wrap. Once chilled and firm, the plastic wrap can be lifted out, the mousse turned out onto the serving platter, then the plastic wrap removed. Good idea!

Avocado and Cilantro Mousse

Recipe courtesy of Marcela Valladolid (Mexican Made Easy on Food Networks)
Serves:  6 to 8 servings

Ingredients
• Vegetable oil cooking spray
• 1 1/2 bunches fresh cilantro, washed and dried, leaves picked off and reserved (about 2 1/4 cups loosely packed)
• 1 avocado
• 3 green onions, white and pale green parts only, thinly sliced
• 1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, at room temperature
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice, from about 1 lime
• 1 Serrano chile, stemmed, seeded, deveined, and roughly chopped
• 1 cup cold water, divided
• 2 (1/4-ounce) envelopes unflavored gelatin (recommended: Knox)
• Crostini, for serving, recipe follows

Directions
Spray 3 (1 cup) or 6 (1/2 cup) ramekins with vegetable oil cooking spray.

Place the cilantro, avocado, green onions, cream cheese, salt, lime juice, and chile in a food processor and puree until smooth.

Pour 1/4 cup water in a small bowl. Sprinkle the gelatin over the water and let it sit for a few minutes. Place the remaining 3/4 cup water in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Pour the boiling water over the softened gelatin and whisk until the gelatin has dissolved.

Add the gelatin to the mixture in the food processor, pulsing until pureed and thoroughly blended.

Pour the mixture into the prepared ramekins. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm, about 2 hours.

To unmold, fill a large container with very hot water. Dip the ramekins in the water for 1 minute. Run a small, sharp knife tip around the edge of each mousse. Unmold onto a platter. Let stand at room temperature for 20 minutes before serving. Serve with Crostini.

Crostini
• 1/2 baguette, thinly sliced
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

DirectionsPreheat a grill pan or charcoal grill. Using a pastry brush, brush the baguette slices with olive oil. Sprinkle with oregano and season with salt and pepper. Grill until golden, 2 to 3 minutes.
(Note: I mixed the olive oil, salt, pepper, and dried oregano together then used a pastry brush to brush the baguette slices. I toasted these under the broiler until brown.)

Smashed Sweet Potatoes

Is there anything better than a hot sweet potato with melted butter? No, unless it is sweet potato casserole. Whether it is plain, topped with pecans and brown sugar or even topped with marshmallows, sweet potato casserole is nothing short of heavenly.

This is a recipe I use often from Ina Garten, who calls it Smashed Sweet Potatoes. I admit I used canned yams for speed of service this time, but it was still heavenly.

Smashed Sweet Potatoes

Recipe by Ina Garten, Barefoot Contessa Parties! Cookbook

Servings: 8

Ingredients:

4 pounds sweet potatoes (about 6 large)

1/2 cup orange juice
1/2 cup heavy cream
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted
1/4 cup light brown sugar
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Scrub the potatoes, prick them several times with a knife or fork, and bake them for 1 hour or until very soft when pierced with a knife. Remove from the oven and scoop out the insides as soon as they are cool enough to handle. Place the sweet potato meat into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment and add the orange juice, cream, butter, brown sugar, nutmeg, cinnamon, salt, and pepper. Mix together until combined but not smooth and transfer to a baking dish.

Bake the potatoes for 20 to 30 minutes, until heated through.

A Different Approach To The Pineapple Glaze

When I was a child, the classic ham on our Christmas table always had a pineapple glaze complete with pineapple rings strategically placed on the ham and held in place by toothpicks through maraschino cherries. I seem to remember there was a lemon-lime beverage involved too, maybe 7-Up?

These days, I buy my holiday ham already cooked. This year I bought a smoked ham from a Duncanville Middle School student. (Thanks, Nic!) Unlike my previous sweeter hams, this had the wonderful smoked flavor of an outdoor summer barbecue. I know this because I had to test it.  Sandwich: take two slices of New York rye bread, spread each side with coarse mustard, place ham on one slice and top with sandwich-sliced Kosher pickles and one slice of Mozzarella cheese. Love it!

To include, yet update the pineapple addition, I chose a pineapple-green onion salsa to serve on the side. I have served this before to good reviews; however, I used a Serrano pepper that I seeded and minced. The heat from the pepper gave a good balance to a sweeter ham. Substituting Tabasco sauce for the Serrano pepper seemed to be a better complement to the smoked ham. Either one works just fine so whatever you prefer.

Pineapple-Green Onion Salsa

Recipe courtesy of Cook's Ham

Ingredients:
2 cups fresh ripe pineapple, trimmed, cored & chopped into 3/8-inch to 1/2-inch chunks (Note: I used canned pineapple tidbits in pineapple juice.)
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice, with pulp
1 green onion, minced
1/2 red bell pepper, cored and minced, 1/8-inch to 1/4-inch
1 teaspoon lemon zest, finely minced
3 shakes Tabasco sauce
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon dry mustard
Pinch of ground cloves

Directions:
Mix all ingredients together well. Transfer and store. Refrigerate until needed.

Rachael Ray in Birmingham

Rachael Ray will be signing her latest cookbook, Look + Cook, at Brookwood Village on Thursday, December 16th, at 7:00 p.m.

Southern Green Beans

My step-father is a food critic of all foods southern. Under his tutelage, my mother's cornbread and biscuits were raised to the next level of deliciousness. When he complimented the seasoning of my green beans one Christmas I was totally surprised and secretly pleased. Of course, he never realized I had cooked the green beans or he may not have tried them!

This recipe calls for bacon, onions, red wine vinegar, and sugar for seasonings. Although the green beans are from a can, I actually like this particular canned vegetable.

Southern Green Beans
Original recipe by Rachael Ray, Food Network
Servings: 4

Ingredients:
1 1/4 pounds green beans, trimmed and chopped into 1-inch pieces
(I use canned Italian Green Beans)
2 slices bacon, chopped
1 small onion, minced
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 teaspoons sugar

Directions:
Cook green beans in 1-inch simmering water, covered, for 6 minutes. Drain and set aside. Return skillet to stove and set burner to medium high. Add bacon and brown. When fat begins to render, add chopped onions to the pan and cook until tender with the bacon. Add cooked green beans to the pan and turn to coat in bacon drippings and onions. When the beans are hot and bacon crisp at edges and onions translucent add vinegar to the pan and season with beans with sugar. Allow the vinegar to evaporate and the sugar to combine with pan drippings, 1 to 2 minutes, then serve.

I Thought I Saw A Christmas Mouse

I am not known as the most creative person in the world; in fact, I am not the most creative person in this room. Yet I thought I could give this a try so I could pass it along to my nieces in Wyoming. If the snow and wind keep them indoors for a day or two then this might be a fun project.

I did not totally dip my maraschino cherries into the chocolate as I like the contrast of colors in the 'bodies'. Aren't the 'ears' great?











Chocolate Mice
Recipe submitted by Jennifer Barley to Just a Pinch Recipe Club

Ingredients

2 can(s) maraschino cherries with the stems attached (yields about 35 mice)
1 pkg milk chocolate chips
1 pkg sliced almonds
1 pkg Hershey's Kisses

Directions
1. Unwrap Kisses and set aside. Lay out a large area of wax paper.
2. Melt chocolate chips.*
3. Take cherries by the stem and dip into melted chocolate.
4. Lay the cherry down and attach the Kiss to it to form a head. (The chocolate will serve as a glue - If it's not sticky enough, dip the blunt end of the Kiss into the chocolate to make it adhere better.) While the chocolate is still warm, attach almond slices between the head and body. These are the ears!
5. Add eyes and a mouth with icing if you wish. Enjoy!

* I melt my chocolate chips in the microwave. I place in a bowl in the microwave, 30 seconds on high. Stir with a rubber spatula then return for another 30 seconds on high, remove, and stir. Continue this until all the chips have completely melted.

My Improvised Potato Soup

It has long been my desire to open the pantry/refrigerator and make dinner from what is available. These days I have help from Supercook.com, a recipe search engine that gives recipe recommendations based on my home ingredients. I placed this 'gadget' on my iGoogle homepage.

What I knew:

1) I wanted soup;

2) I needed to use the potatoes and the milk; and,

3) It had to be easy.

I started with a very basic potato soup recipe and turned it into something more like a chowder. The only dilemma turned out to be limiting myself to one bowl!

My 'Improvised' Potato Soup

Servings: 4

Ingredients:

3 cups Yukon Gold Potatoes, cubed (about 3 large)

1/2 cup sweet onion, diced

1/2 cup carrots, sliced

1/2 cup yellow corn, frozen

2 cups chicken stock

2 Tbsp flour

2 Tbsp cold water

1 1/2 cup milk (I used whole)

1/2 cup extra sharp white cheddar cheese, grated

1 tsp salt, or to taste

1/2 tsp black pepper, or to taste

1 shake Louisiana hot sauce, or to taste

Directions:

1) Simmer potatoes, onion, carrots, salt, and pepper in 2 cups chicken stock and cook until tender. Reduce heat.

2) Add 2 Tbsp cold water to 2 Tbsp flour and whisk with fork until lumps are gone. Add liquid flour, frozen corn, and milk. Allow to thicken.

3) Add grated cheddar cheese and hot sauce.

4) Taste for seasonings. Serve hot.

I did good! This turned out quite good and no food was wasted in the process.

Fish Couscous

Yesterday was cold, wet, and windy so I desired quick, easy, and hot for dinner. I first tried this spicy fish stew last year after I found the recipe by Martha Rose Shulman in her Recipes for Health column in The New York Times. Yesterday seemed like the perfect time to eat it again.

The long list of ingredients can indeed be a bit intimidating, but several on the list are pantry staples anyway so that helps. I did not have harissa, however, so I used extra cayenne pepper. Harissa is a hot chili paste that is commonly found in North African cooking, and it is added to couscous, soups, pastas and other recipes. It can be purchased in Middle Eastern stores in a can or can be made a home (recipe follows).

Recommended fish: sturdy white-fleshed fish like monkfish or grouper, or a flakier fish like snapper or tilapia. I had some frozen cod so I used that and it worked just fine.

I haven't mentioned yet that I love, love, love this stew. It was the perfect end to the cold, wet, and windy work day.

Fish Couscous
Original recipe by Martha Rose Shulman
Yield: Serves 6 to 8

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 large onion, halved and sliced
2 leeks, white and light green parts only, sliced (optional)
6 garlic cloves, minced
2 teaspoons cumin seeds, ground
Salt, preferably kosher salt, and freshly ground pepper to taste
1 28-ounce can chopped tomatoes, with liquid
2 tablespoons tomato paste dissolved in 1/2 cup water
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon cayenne, to taste
2 tablespoons harissa, plus additional for serving
3 quarts fish stock, chicken stock, or water
3/4 pound carrots, cut in thick slices (fat ends first cut in half lengthwise)
1/2 pound turnips, peeled and cut in wedges or large dice
1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley or cilantro, or 1/2 cup of each
2 2/3 cups couscous, preferably whole wheat couscous
2 pounds fish fillets (such as snapper, halibut, grouper, cod or monkfish) cut into 2-inch pieces

Directions:1. Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a large, heavy casserole or Dutch oven and add the onion and leeks. Cook, stirring, until tender, about 5 minutes, and stir in the garlic, ground cumin seeds, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Cook together, stirring, until fragrant, about a minute, and add the tomatoes. Cook, stirring often, until the tomatoes have cooked down and the mixture smells very fragrant, about 10 minutes. Stir in the dissolved tomato paste, the cayenne, harissa, the broth or water, carrots, turnips, chick peas, and salt to taste, and bring to a simmer. Cover and simmer 30 minutes. Taste and adjust seasonings. Strain off 1 cup of the stock.

2. Reconstitute and steam the couscous.

3. Season the fish with salt and pepper and add along with the parsley and/or cilantro to the simmering stew. Simmer very gently for 5 to 10 minutes, until the fish is opaque and flakes when poked with a fork. Taste and adjust seasonings.

4. Transfer the couscous to a wide serving bowl, such as a pasta bowl, or directly to wide soup plates. Top the couscous with fish, vegetables, and plenty of broth, and serve, passing harissa at the table.

Advance preparation: The stew can be made through step 1 a day ahead of time. Bring back to a simmer, and proceed with the recipe. The couscous can be reconstituted up to a day ahead, then steamed before serving.

Harissa Recipe
Note: I have not tried this recipe yet so I can not speak to its accuracy or taste.

Ingredients:

•10-12 dried red chili peppers
•3 cloves garlic, minced
•1/2 teaspoon salt
•2 tablespoons olive oil
•1 teaspoon ground coriander
•1 teaspoon ground caraway seeds
•1/2 teaspoon cumin

Preparation:
Soak the dried chilies in hot water for 30 minutes. Drain. Remove stems and seeds. In a food processor combine chili peppers, garlic, salt, and olive oil. Blend. Add remaining spices and blend to form a smooth paste. Store in airtight container. Drizzle a small amount of olive oil on top to keep fresh. Will keep for a month in the refrigerator. (source)