Recipe: Moroccan Chicken and Seven Vegetable Couscous

GOING GLOBAL WITH A PLANT-BASED DIET
(recipe follows)

"Two years ago I attended a conference in Morocco sponsored by the Oldways Preservation & Exchange Trust. The conference was designed to discuss the benefits of the Mediterranean Diet, which emphasizes fruit, vegetables and whole grains with only moderate amounts of meat, fish and poultry. Walking the markets in Marrakesh, Fez and Casablanca, it was obvious why Morocco was chosen to represent this eating style. I saw women carrying home bags heavy with the weight of carrots, onions, cabbages, turnips, squash, oranges, dried dates and figs. Heaped on top were enormous, brilliant bunches of parsley, mint and cilantro.

Many of these ingredients are served together in native Moroccan dishes, like tangines and the sauces served with couscous, featuring spicy, aromatic combinations of vegetables and, in some cases, small pieces of meat. They are a perfect example of how traditional North African cooking makes it easy to consume a variety of nutritious vegetables.

Couscous is a light, golden pasta that is commonly found across North Africa. While it may seem exotic, it's made of the same durum semolina as penne, linguine and other familiar pasta shapes. During cooking, the tiny couscous grains swell, becoming fluffy and ready to absorb flavors from a warm broth or dressing.

Traditional recipes call for cooks to rub the couscous between their hands before eating to separate every grain. Today, we have instant couscous, which is ready in the time it takes to boil water, and separates easily with a fork. Moroccan Chicken and Seven Vegetable Couscous is a sumptuous way of enjoying a dish of richly layered flavors, and an easy way to consume a wide variety of vegetables."

MOROCCAN CHICKEN AND SEVEN VEGETABLE COUSCOUS

1 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
1 large chicken, about 3-1/2 pounds, cut in 8 pieces and skinned
1 medium onion, cut in 8 wedges
2 ribs celery, cut in 1-inch pieces
1 (16-oz.) can plum tomatoes, drained
10 sprigs parsley
12 sprigs cilantro
1 tsp. ground ginger
1 tsp. turmeric
6 cups water
3 to 4 saffron threads, dissolved in 1 Tbsp. warm water (optional)
1 small green cabbage, cored and cut in 8 pieces
4 carrots, cut in 2-inch pieces
1 small butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cut in 2-inch chunks
1 medium zucchini, cut in 1-1/2-inch pieces
1 cup canned or cooked chick peas
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1 (12-oz.) box instant couscous

In a large Dutch oven, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Brown the chicken on all sides.

Add the onion, celery, tomatoes, parsley, cilantro, ginger and turmeric and water. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer 30 minutes. Remove the chicken, keeping it warm.

Add the cabbage and butternut squash and cook, covered, 20 minutes.

Add the zucchini and chickpeas and cook, covered, 15 minutes longer. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground pepper.

Return the chicken to the pot and simmer gently until the vegetables are very soft.

Meanwhile, cook the couscous, following the package directions.

TO SERVE:
Arrange the couscous on a large serving platter in a ring. Heap the vegetables in the center of the platter, along with the chicken. Spoon some of the cooking liquid over the couscous and vegetables.

Each of the eight servings contains 276 calories and 6 grams of fat
Excerpted from an article by Dana Jacobi for the American Institute for Cancer Research