Slow-Cooked Beef Couscous with Sun-Ripened Vegetables
A generous, aromatic couscous infused with Middle Eastern spices, where slow-cooked beef reveals its tenderness in a deep, amber broth. Sun-ripened vegetables and light-as-air semolina make this a quintessential sharing dish, faithful to the great Maghreb tradition.
🛒 Ingredients
4 servings
- 1.1 lbs beef (chuck or shank), cut into large chunks
- 3 cups fine semolina (couscous)
- 3 medium carrots, peeled and cut into chunks
- 2 zucchini, cut into thick slices
- 2 medium turnips, peeled and quartered
- 1 can (14 oz) chickpeas, rinsed and drained
- 1 large yellow onion, finely chopped
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 2 tsp ras-el-hanout
- 1 tsp ground ginger
- 1 tsp turmeric
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 0.7 oz butter
- 6 1/3 cups water (for the broth)
Watch the original video
Watch on TikTokDirections
- 1
Heat 2 tbsp of olive oil in a Dutch oven over high heat. Brown the beef chunks on all sides for 5 to 7 minutes until well-colored. Remove and set aside.
- 2
In the same pot, sauté the chopped onion over medium heat for 3 to 4 minutes until translucent. Return the beef to the pot, add the ras-el-hanout, ginger, and turmeric, and stir well to coat the meat.
- 3
Incorporate the tomato paste, stir for 1 minute, then pour in 6 1/3 cups of hot water. Season generously with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce to low heat, cover, and simmer for 45 minutes.
- 4
Add the carrot chunks and turnip quarters to the broth. Cover and continue cooking for 15 minutes.
- 5
Add the zucchini slices and chickpeas. Cook for another 15 minutes over low heat until all vegetables are tender but not mushy.
- 6
Meanwhile, place the semolina in a large bowl. Pour 2 cups of boiling salted water mixed with 1 tbsp of olive oil over it. Stir with a fork, cover with a kitchen towel, and let it swell for 5 minutes. Fluff the semolina with a fork and incorporate the butter, working the grains to make them light and airy.
- 7
Arrange the semolina in a generous dome in the center of a large platter. Place the beef and colorful vegetables on top. Ladle plenty of hot broth over the dish and serve the remaining broth in a gravy boat on the side.
💡 Chef's Tip
The secret to perfectly light semolina: fluff it twice, not once. After the first hydration, let it rest for 5 minutes, then rub the grains between your palms to break up any clumps before adding the butter. This technique, known as 'rolling,' ensures distinct, non-sticky grains—the number one hallmark of a chef-quality couscous.
