Couscous With Beans and Cauliflower

Andrew Scrivani for The New York Times


By MARTHA ROSE SHULMAN
Published: February 26, 2009

This dish is another wonderful take on cauliflower, which absorbs flavor as it stews in the spicy broth.

This series offers recipes with an eye towards empowering you to cook healthy meals every day. Produce, seasonal and locally grown when possible, and a well-stocked pantry are the linchpins of a good diet, and accordingly, each week’s recipes will revolve around a particular type of produce or a pantry item. This is food that is vibrant and light, full of nutrients but by no means ascetic, fun to cook and a pleasure to eat.

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

1 medium onion, chopped

4 large garlic cloves, minced

Salt, preferably kosher salt, to taste

1 teaspoon coriander seeds, lightly toasted and ground

1 teaspoon caraway seeds, lightly toasted and ground

2 teaspoons cumin seeds, lightly toasted and ground

2 cups dried chickpeas or white beans, soaked in 2 quarts water for six hours or overnight

2 tablespoons harissa (or more to taste; substitute 1/2 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper or more to taste if harissa is unavailable), plus additional for serving

2 tablespoons tomato paste

1 large cauliflower, cut into small florets

1 cup frozen peas, thawed

1 cup chopped fresh parsley or cilantro, or a combination

2 to 2 2/3 cups couscous, preferably whole wheat couscous, as needed

1. Heat the oil over medium heat in a large, heavy soup pot or Dutch oven. Add the onion and cook, stirring often, until tender, about five minutes. Add the garlic, 1/2 teaspoon salt, the ground coriander, caraway and cumin. Cook, stirring, for a minute, until fragrant. Add the beans and their soaking water and an additional quart of water, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat, add salt to taste, cover and simmer one hour. Add the harissa, the tomato paste, and simmer another 30 minutes to an hour, until the beans are thoroughly tender and the broth fragrant. Remove 1/2 cup of the broth and set aside.

2. Add the cauliflower to the simmering stew and cook, partially covered, for another 20 minutes, until the cauliflower is tender. Taste and adjust seasonings, adding salt, garlic or harissa as desired. The stew should be spicy.

3. Reconstitute and steam the couscous, mixing the half cup of reserved broth with the water you use to reconstitute the couscous. Meanwhile, stir the peas and parsley and/or cilantro into the simmering stew. Simmer for five minutes or longer, taste and adjust seasonings. Transfer the couscous to a wide serving bowl or directly to wide soup plates. Spoon on the stew and serve, passing additional harissa at the table.

Yield: Serves six to eight

Advance preparation: The dish can be prepared through step 1 up to a day ahead and refrigerated. Bring back to a simmer before proceeding. The entire stew also can be prepared a day ahead and refrigerated. Bring back to a simmer, and proceed with the recipe. You may need to add a little more water to the pot.