Couscous

This is a winning-contestant recipe from Season Four of Fox's MasterChef.

Mograbiah, a large variety of couscous made from semolina, is common throughout the Arab world. It is also known as pearl or giant couscous and, in North Africa, as berkukis. It is more difficult to find than ordinary couscous. We buy it from Green Valley, the luscious Middle Eastern supermarket just off London's Edgware Road. If you can't get hold of it, try to find the Sardinian equivalent, fregola, which is stocked by some Italian delis. If all this leads you nowhere, use couscous only (increasing the quantity below up to 1 pound / 500 g). You will lose out a little on the interesting combination of textures but still enjoy the explosive mix of flavors. The dried tomatoes are a great pantry ingredient. Keep them immersed in oil if you want them to last a long time. The caramelized onion is also handy to have in the fridge. It will keep there for at least five days and makes a great addition to omelets, quiches, bruschetta, pasta—anything, really.

While some recipes require elaborate introductions justifying particular flavor combinations, the creation from Epicurious member Sarah Perl of Brooklyn, New York, needs little justification as it eventually won her a husband. Perl also praises the dish for its versatility: “It’s simple enough for a weeknight dinner and special enough for a dinner party.” So, choose a fresh fish fillet and serve up this dish in the name of romance.

The perfect compromise between a grain and a salad, this refreshing Mediterranean side makes a lovely accompaniment to grilled lamb for a backyard barbecue. Or, highlight its Middle Eastern influences by pairing it with baba ghanoush and a platter of stuffed grape leaves. Add personal touches by substituting your favorite herb for the mint, topping off the salad with a squeeze of lime and a bit of orange zest, or using spinach instead of arugula. However you decide to frame it, you’ll be set up for a nice snack the next day.

This recipe is part of the Epicurious Online Cooking School, in partnership with the Culinary Institute of America. To watch it being made, and to learn how to make other Mediterranean classics, check out the video classes.

Effort Level: II This is a wonderful recipe inspired by North African cuisine. It is a colorful, vegetarian dish with vibrant flavors.
-Wendy Grater

After the chicken is browned and the vegetables are sautéed, the meat is braised until fork-tender. Orange juice adds vitamin C and brightens the dish, but you can omit it and increase the chicken stock by half a cup.

Toasting couscous in the pan before adding water imparts a nuttiness that complements the distinctive flavors of mint and parsley.

To make this recipe in advance, dice the beet and prepare as directed in step 1, and refrigerate it in the liquid, covered, up to 1 day.

You’ll need to plan ahead for this Mediterranean-Middle Eastern combo; the flank steak marinates for 6 to 8 hours. Since meat, vegetables, and grain are included in this dish, all you need to add is some sliced tomatoes or a light dessert.

A just-right blend of sweet and tart, this salad is a great accompaniment to Curried Chicken Kebabs with Yogurt Dipping Sauce (page 138) or Pork Chops with Herb Rub (page 196). Spoon the salad onto leaves of butter lettuce or radicchio for an especially attractive presentation.

Couscous, a quick-cooking Moroccan staple, gets a Mediterranean makeover with fresh lemon juice, oregano, mint, and feta.

Here’s how to have a quick cup of soup that won’t eat up your sodium limit for the day. Keep this mixture on hand at work for an easy lunch or take it on a camping trip—in fact, you can use it wherever boiling water is available.

Here is a salad I enjoyed on my first trip to Paris. It was part of a fantastic, produce-filled lunch in a private residence in Montmartre, overlooking much of the city. The key to this simple salad is to use the best possible ingredients—specially the green beans. Serve as a first course with slices of crusty, whole-grain baguette or Italian bread.

This recipe is one I’ve used for a long time, though oddly, it has never made it into any of my books until now. It’s an attractive, fast main dish salad that can be made all year round (now that fresh herbs of all kinds are always available in any supermarket), though I still prefer serving it during warmer months. Leftovers of this salad are delicious in a wrap the next day for lunch or dinner.

This may be too light to serve as a meal’s centerpiece, but it’s perfect for pairing with a dish of equal heft, like a bean or legume dish or a main dish salad. I’ve also enjoyed leftovers of this served cold in a wrap with shredded lettuce and sliced tomatoes.

Here’s a delicious, substantial grain dish that’s ready in minutes, leaving you plenty of time to build a meal around it.

For this bountiful vegetable soup, the less cooking time, the better. Everything should remain bright green and just tender-crisp.