Nutty, chewy Pearl Couscous infused with the flavors of shallots, cinnamon, star anise, ginger, turmeric, and paprika, and tossed with roasted carrots, butternut squash, and Andouille sausage. This dish is warm, comforting, and intensely satisfying, especially throughout the winter and fall.

"Woooow this was amazing! I used chorizo instead as I wanted to use up my leftovers and I was blown away by how delicious this all tasted! I don’t like star anise so left this out and was still incredible - 10/10" - Emily

Photo byRebecca Blackwell/ alittleandalot.com

The difference between traditional couscous and pearl couscous

Traditional couscous has been around for centuries and, while often classified as a grain, it's actually tiny pieces of pasta made from semolina wheat. Unlike most other varieties of pasta, which are rolled into sheets before being cut into shapes, couscous is made by rubbing semolina between wet hands until tiny little balls are formed and then dried.

Pearl couscous (also called Israeli couscous) is quite different. For one, it didn't arrive on the culinary scene until the mid 1900's. It's also a type of pasta made from wheat and semolina flour, but the granules are larger and pearl like. Pearl couscous is toasted instead of dried, giving it a slightly nutty flavor and chewy texture that I adore.

Photo byRebecca Blackwell/ alittleandalot.com

Recipe: Couscous, Sausage, And Butternut Squash Bowls

This recipe was originally published on alittleandalot.com. For more detailed instructions, please see the original recipe: Couscous, Sausage, and Butternut Squash Bowls

• 2 large carrots, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
• A 1 ½ lb butternut squash, peeled, seeds removed, and cut into 1-inch pieces (you should have 3 heaping cups)
• ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
• salt and pepper
• 9 - 12 ounces fully cooked Andouille Sausage links (*See note for substitutions.)
• 3 tablespoon butter
• ½ cup minced shallot
• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 4 star anise
• ½ teaspoon ground ginger
• ¼ teaspoon turmeric
• ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
• ¼ - ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper (to taste)
• ½ cup dry white wine
• 1 ¾ cup chicken broth or water
• ½ cup dried apricots, chopped
• 1 ⅓ cup pearl couscous
• 1 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Instructions

1. Heat the oven to 375 degrees.
2. Toss the chunks of carrot and butternut squash with olive oil and spread them out onto a large rimmed baking sheet. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and roast for 15 minutes.
3. Cut the sausage into slices that are approximately ½-inch thick. After the carrots and squash has been roasting for 15 minutes, remove the sheet pan from the oven and add the sausage slices. Toss the sausage with the vegetables, spread everything back out into an even layer, and roast for an additional 15 minutes, until the vegetables are tender and the sausage is slightly browned.
4. Add the butter and minced shallots to a large heavy bottom saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until the shallots are soft and look translucent. While the shallots cook, combine cinnamon, star anise, ground ginger, turmeric, paprika, and crushed red pepper in a small bowl. Add the spices to the shallots, reduce the heat to low, and cook for another 4-5 minutes, stirring constantly.
5. Stir in the wine, turn the heat up to medium-high, and cook, stirring frequently, until nearly all of the wine has evaporated. Stir in the broth or water, bring to a boil, then add the couscous and apricots. Lower the heat enough to maintain a gentle simmer, cover the pan, and let cook for 6 minutes.
6. Add the sausage, carrots, and squash to the saucepan and stir to combine. Let cook for another 2-3 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the cilantro.

Recipe notes:

• The smoky, spicy flavor of Andouille sausage is lovely with the other flavors in this dish. However, you could use any variety of smoked sausage including cured chorizo or kielbasa.

For more of my recipes, visit alittleandalot.com and ofbatteranddough.com.

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