Perfect Prepper Pasta--Couscous

Many, many moons ago, when I lived in the Russian house at BYU, as part of the "curriculum" of living in the house, we ate dinner together each evening, speaking in Russian the whole time with our conversation teacher.  And we also had to take turns preparing those meals.  Making dinner for twelve people each week was a little intimidating, especially since I wanted it to actually taste good and be able to be prepared as quickly as possible.  I was lamenting to a fellow Russian student about my problem, and he suggested that I make couscous, a Moroccan pasta.  I had never even heard of it before that moment, so he had to explain it to me and how I might prepare it.

It's something I've prepared often ever since, and it is perfect prepper food.

What makes it so perfect?  For one, it's pasta; it's got a really long shelf life, like twenty years.  It cooks up just as fast as instant rice--just add to boiling water, cover, turn off the heat, and wait five minutes, then fluff.  However, unlike many other pasta shapes, it is very compact, just like large grains of sand.  It provides a change of pace from rice and other forms of pasta with its unique texture.  And it can be prepared in so many ways with so many flavors.  It can be a salad, side dish, or main course.  It works well for just-add-water instant meals.  What's not to love?

Lots of people are familiar with the little boxes of Near East couscous mixes with the big price tag.  They're pretty close to the Rice-A-Roni and macaroni and cheese boxes in the grocery store, most often on the top shelf.  If you've never tried couscous before, pick up a box and follow the directions to give it a try before buying a twenty-five-pound bag.

Here's the recipe I used with the Russian house students back then and most often with my family now.

Couscous with Sausage and Veggies

• Sausage stew (dehydrated vegetables work very well in this)
• 1 pound bulk pork sausage
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 3 cups water
• 3 beef bouillon cubes
• 2 carrots, sliced
• 1 medium zucchini, cut in half lengthwise and sliced
• 4 large tomatoes, diced (or a 15-ounce can of diced stewed tomatoes
• 2 stalks celery, sliced
• 1 8-ounce can tomato sauce
• 1 teaspoon basil
• 1 teaspoon oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• Couscous
• 2 cups water
• 2 cups couscous
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

In a large pot, brown the sausage, onions, and garlic.  Drain fat.  Add remaining ingredients.  Bring to a boil, reduce heat to simmer, and cover.  Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are tender.  When the vegetables are just about done, in a separate pot with a lid, bring the water to a boil.  Add couscous and salt, cover, and remove from heat.  Let stand five minutes and fluff with fork.

To serve, place a large spoonful of couscous on the plate and top with the sausage and vegetables.


There are numerous recipes on the web for using couscous.  I like the following one BackpackingLight.com because it's a salad and it doesn't require cooking.  It's perfect for an instant meal in a bag.

Herbed Tomato Couscous Salad

• 1⁄2 cup couscous
• 1 tablespoon tomato powder
• 1/2 teaspoon Italian herbs
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
• 1 tablespoon olive oil (1 packet)
• 2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese (shelf-stable)
• 1/2 cup cool water

Put the couscous and seasonings into a pint-size freezer bag. Pack the Parmesan cheese and olive oil packet in a separate bag. To prepare, add the oil and water to the couscous and seasoning bag, stir well, and let sit for 10 minutes.  Stir again, and sprinkle on the Parmesan cheese.  This salad may be made in a hot version by using hot water.

There are zillions of ways to use couscous, and many more recipes will be posted here sooner or later.

Links to related posts:
Copycat Rice-a-Roni Mixes
Pasta


© 2019, PrepSchoolDaily.blogspot.com   

7 april 2023