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Couscous Mesfouf and Peas - Couscous Mesfouf aux Petits Pois

Greetings all my friends out in the Blogosphere!

A week has past that my children are still ill and I too, have not been well; hence the reason for not posting as much and not being able to comment on anyone's blogs! I am sure I have missed many wonderfully appetizing dishes!

Friday afternoon ... traditional meal of couscous that is what we had today! And living in the Mediteranean we are eanjoying the Spring's crops even in Winter. Although with modern technology peas are availible now year round in the frozen food section. BUT still there is nothing like the sweet tenderness of in season local freshly shelled peas!

So I advice everyone that can follow this advice. Drop everything and run on the market to look for peas! The fresh pea is incomparably better than to frozen or even canned.

Preparation easy and simple, it is ideally accompanied by one (or several) large glass of lebn (buttermilk) and sweet mouscat grapes for dessert if it's the season. (Unfortunately right now they are not in season)

Ask the children or the first person that comes into the kitchen to help with the shelling.

When you're finished, you put these little balls soft green in a saucepan, add onion and your new cover with water. Cook over medium heat for 10 minutes.

You drain your peas and then add the steamed cooked swollen couscous. Finish with a knob of butter, a little salt and some pepper.

This is real bliss! Simplicity by its best!

Mesfouf couscous léger au petits pois: Mesfouf couscous with peas

• 500g of fine couscous (important that the grain is very fine)
• 1 pinch salt
• 1 TBSof olive oil
• warm water + or - 330 ml
• 150g shelled sweet peas
• 100 g de beurre 100g butter

1. Fill the bottom part of the couscousier or a tall pot with water 3/4 way full.
2. Place the shelled peas in the top insert part of the couscousier (or) into a colander steaming basket that can easily fit a lid on top.
3. Steam the peas for about 10m or until tender.
4. Meanwhile, rub the grains of couscous with the oil. Coat the grains well with the oil so they will not stick together during the steaming process.
5. Place it in a large bowl then add double the amount of water as their is couscous; add salt.
6. Allow to soak for about 5-8m or until the couscous has absorbed much of the water.
7. Remove the peas from the steamer.
8. Replace it with the cousous; add more water to the bottom part is nessasary.
9. Place the top insert back onto the couscousier or large tall pot.
10. Add a knob or two butter on top.
11. Steam for about 10m or until fluffy.
12. Turn out onto a large bowl, fluff with fork.
13. Taste for salt and butteryness. Add more if needed.
14. Mix in the peas.
15. To serve, pile the couscous onto wide rimmed bowl in a dome shape.

Tricks:

I usually place a double thick "ribbon" of aluminum foil to ensure the tight side and prevent leakage of steam. Also they sell plastic seams in the markets here for this same purpose.

Once the liquid is boiling, with a fork I will 'fluff' the couscous, it promotes the effusion of steam, promotes and accelerates cooking.

Serve with your preference of lebn (buttermilk) or warmed milk.