TUNISIA
Many years ago in Tunisia, I visited a cooking school not far from Sidi Bou Said, a charming town overlooking the sea where the houses are white and blue, the same brilliant azure blue as the sea. It was an enchanting place, as was the restaurant of the cooking school, which overlooked the sea. We were served a fish couscous that was one of the best I have ever had, spicier than the Moroccan Couscous with Monkfish, with a thinner broth that was more like a soup. The couscous I had in the cooking school restaurant was fairly plain apart from it being quite spicy, and it was made with only fish whereas the one below has an added fruit element in the form of quince, making it very seasonal. The slightly sweet/sour quince adds an interesting note to the spicy tomato broth.
SERVES 4 TO 6
FOR THE COUSCOUS
2½ cups (500 g) fine or medium couscous (not instant)
Sea salt
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons (30 g) unsalted butter, melted
FOR THE FISH BROTH
Sea salt
2¼ pounds (1 kg) sea bream or sea bass fillets
½ cup (125 ml) vegetable oil
1 tablespoon tomato paste, diluted in 1 cup (250 ml) water
½ cup (100 g) dried chickpeas, soaked overnight in plenty of cold water with ½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon Tunisian B’harat
1½ teaspoons cayenne pepper
½ teaspoon finely ground black pepper
2 tablespoons smen or unsalted butter
⅓ cup (50 g) golden raisins
1 large quince (7 ounces/200 g), peeled and cut into thick wedges
Harissa, for serving
1. To start the couscous: Prepare the couscous as in step 1 of Couscous with Seven Vegetables.
2. To make the fish broth: Lightly salt the fish and set aside. Put the oil in the bottom half of a couscoussière. (If you don’t have one, use a large pot that can hold a lined metal colander for steaming the couscous in.) Place over medium heat. Add the diluted tomato paste. Drain and rinse the chickpeas and add to the pot together with the b’harat, cayenne, and black pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low and let bubble gently, covered, for about 15 minutes. Add 4 cups (1 liter) water, increase the heat to medium, and bring back to a boil.
3. Put the couscous in the top of the couscoussière (or a colander lined with cheesecloth) and place over the bubbling broth. Let steam gently for 20 minutes. Tip the couscous into a large bowl and sprinkle with ⅔ cup (160 ml) water, stirring with a wooden spoon as you sprinkle. Once all the water is incorporated, and there are no lumps, add the 2 tablespoons (30 g) melted butter. Mix well. Cover and allow to fluff up.
4. Add the smen to the broth, along with the raisins, quince, and fish. Add salt to taste. Return the couscous to the top of the couscoussière (or colander), set over the broth, cover, and steam for another 20 minutes.
5. Transfer the couscous to a shallow serving bowl and shape it into a pyramid. Flatten the top, making a dip in the center. With a slotted spoon, remove the fish, quince, chickpeas, and golden raisins from the broth and place in the dip in the center of the couscous. Spoon a little of the broth over the fish and put more broth in a medium bowl. Serve hot with the broth on the side and harissa for those who like it.