with Dried Fruit and Walnuts

Couscous and tagine are the pasta and tomato sauce of Moroccan cuisine, a natural and ubiquitous pairing. Couscous, by the way, is an ideal light starch accompaniment for many entrées. By adding golden raisins, dried apricots and dates, and toasted almonds, you can take a plain version of this dish and make it both extra colorful and extra tasty. On the plate, the couscous absorbs the wonderful cooking juices from the chicken, and its dried fruits are an excellent foil for the spices in the Tagine of Chicken.

Ingredients

• 2 cups precooked dried ­couscous
• 1/4 cup finely chopped ­dates
• 1/4 cup golden ­raisins
• 1/4 cup cubed dried ­apricots
• 1/4 cup toasted almond slivers
• 1 tablespoon unsalted ­butter
• 1 teaspoon salt

Instructions

In a large bowl, mix the couscous with the dates, raisins, apricots, almonds, butter, and salt. Cook the mixture according to the directions on the couscous package. (The rule of thumb is 2 cups of liquid for every 1 cup of couscous.) When the couscous is done, fluff it with a fork and transfer to a platter.

Other Couscous Recipes

Chicken Couscous
Spicy Jumbo Shrimp with Couscous

Tips

Couscous
Creating a Moroccan Mood