Savory Pearled CousCous

Savory Pearled CousCous – What to do with Brussels Sprouts before they go bad?  Search the net and end up with one of the most awesome recipes ever!  This is my rendition of combining a couple different recipes for a new extraordinary dish.  It’s not a quick dish, but if you have some time to try it one day…you will not be disappointed.

Entree Ingredients

• 2 c Pearled Couscous
• 3 ½ c Vegetable broth
• 1 lb Brussels Sprouts, wedged
• 1 lb canned Chickpeas, drained/rinsed (or dried and prepped accordingly to be soaked and softened which takes longer)
• Olive Oil (or other high heat point oil as needed for frying)

Sauce Ingredients

• 2 T Red Wine Vinegar
• 1 T Red Pepper Flakes
• ½ c Brown Sugar
• 2 T Olive Oil
• 1 ½ c Ponzu sauce (Homemade version below)
• 2 minced Garlic Cloves
• 1 tsp Sea Salt
• Cracked Black Pepper to taste

Couscous Directions

1. In a medium size pot bring vegetable broth to a boil.
2. Add Couscous and reduce heat to low and let simmer for appx 5-8 minutes until most or all of liquid is absorbed.  Don’t over cook or it will be mushy.  If couscous looks ready just drain the remaining liquid and set couscous aside in the same pot or a Dutch Oven.

Sauce and Veggies Directions

1. Mix all sauce ingredients together.
2. Put chickpeas, Brussels sprouts, and sauce in a bowl and mix until well coated. (You will need to continuously stir this as the brown sugar settles when sitting.)
3. In a sauce pan cover bottom with olive oil and line pan with one layer marinated chickpeas/Brussels on medium/low heat.  *Needs to be hot enough to “fry” the veggies, but be careful it’s not too hot as they sizzle and splash a bit. (I used a splash guard to help avoid possible pops/splashes.) A home fryer would be great!
4. Stir well and Brown Chickpeas and Brussels, then transfer to the couscous.  Repeat 3 & 4 until you brown all the chickpeas/Brussels.  Don’t try all at once or they won’t brown unless you do this; In a large pot with appx 8 c Olive Oil heated to 350 degrees put chickpeas in to start frying and add Brussels Sprouts 30 seconds later.  Must have utensils to scoop out the veggies or use a wire basket.  Again-the Brussels Sprouts pop and splash, be careful.
5. Pour ¼ – ½ c sauce into dutch oven and mix all together.  Save remaining sauce for another occasion or discard…it’s up to you.

Homemade Ponzu Ingredients

• 2/3 c Soy Sauce/Bragg’s Liquid Aminos
• ½ c Lemon Juice
• 2 T Red Wine Vinegar or Rice Wine Vinegar
• 2/3 c Dashi (Homemade substitute I did ¼ c Vegetable Stock & 2 T Brown Sugar)