Couscous Royale

About This Recipe

The grand Moroccan feast: steamed couscous served with lamb, chicken, merguez sausage, and a rich broth of chickpeas, turnips, and courgettes. This couscous royale is evoking the slow tagines and preserved-lemon brightness of North African cooking. Served at the table it fills the room — steam rising, deep savory notes, the kind of plate people lean over. Home cooks return to it because the technique is forgiving once the order of operations clicks: build aromatics first, season in layers, and let time do the heavy lifting. The result lands somewhere between everyday and special — humble enough for a weeknight, generous enough for company.

Ingredients

Serves 6

• 500 gcouscous
• 300 glamb shoulder, cubed
• 300 gchicken thighs
• 4 pcsmerguez sausages

Instructions

1. 1

   Cook meats

   Brown lamb and chicken in a large pot. Add onion, tomato paste, and spices. Cover with water and simmer 1 hour.

2. 2

   Add vegetables

   Add carrots, courgettes, turnip, and chickpeas. Cook 30 more minutes.

3. 3

   Steam couscous

   Steam couscous over the broth, fluffing with butter and olive oil.

4. 4

   Serve

   Grill merguez. Mound couscous, arrange meats and vegetables on top, ladle broth over.

Variations

• •

  Make vegetarian with just chickpeas and root vegetables.

• •

  Vegetarian: swap the protein for roasted king oyster mushrooms, smoked tofu or cooked chickpeas — adjust seasoning slightly upward to compensate.

• •

  Spicier: add a finely chopped fresh chile or a teaspoon of crushed Aleppo/Urfa pepper to the aromatics for warm, layered heat instead of a single sharp hit.

• •

  Lighter: reduce the fat by a third and finish with a squeeze of citrus or a splash of vinegar to keep brightness without losing body.

Storage

Store in fridge up to 3 days.

Frequently Asked Questions