Chapter Five 
THE MEDITERRANEAN TABLE, A MENU
For us, the journey of cooking for a lifetime means learning for a lifetime. It never stops. When Shelley became obsessed with learning to roll couscous by hand, she spent weeks perfecting the technique. We ate couscous for every meal. We taught it in classes. We served it at farm dinners. Plebeian though it may seem, couscous, when made by hand and cooked fresh, is an entirely different thing than what we know in our modern lives—it floats on the tongue and is deep and rich in tradition. Homemade couscous is not the sort of thing you automatically think to learn or perfect; it requires searching and a thirst for knowledge. But when we learn something so wonderful, the first place we want to share it is around the chopping blocks of the cooking school. Likewise, Shelley learned the best way to cook octopus in Mexico and here we use it for part of our Mediterranean menu. And her appreciation for great baklava, our dessert, was born when she visited the Black Sea coast of Turkey.
◁ CHARRED OCTOPUS SALAD WITH GIANT WHITE BEANS AND CELERY
Asustar—the technique of dipping octopus in boiling water three times before letting it simmer—translates to “frightening” it in Galician. Each time the octopus is dipped in the boiling water, the tentacles curl a little more. Does it get scared into not being tough? All we can say is that the end result is super tender, so we follow suit and dip away. Ask your fishmonger to clean the octopus and remove the hard beak, or push it out from the center opening yourself. It’s not easy to find dried giant white beans that cook evenly, so we use canned.
SERVES 6 TO 8
1 head of garlic, halved crosswise
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 large octopus (about 2 pounds), cleaned
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon Nasturtium Capers or capers in brine, drained
8 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
2 (14-ounce) cans giant white beans, drained and rinsed
2 celery ribs, thinly sliced
1/2 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
Place the garlic in a large (12-quart) pot of well-salted water and bring to a boil. Holding the octopus by the head, dunk the body in the water 3 times, letting the water come back to a boil between each dip, then let it fall in the water. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook until the octopus is very tender, 1 to 1 1/2 hours. Remove from the heat and let the octopus cool (in the cooking liquid if you have the time, which helps it stay moist).
Cut off the head and discard it. Cut the tentacles apart, keeping them whole. This can be done up to 2 days in advance. Refrigerate, covered, until you are ready to grill.
Light a fire in the grill using hardwood or hardwood charcoal (shown here), and when the wood has burned down to coals, spread the glowing coals to one side of the grill to create a direct and indirect grilling area.
While waiting for the grill to heat, whisk together the lemon juice and capers in a medium bowl, then whisk in 6 tablespoons olive oil and season with salt and pepper to taste. Toss the white beans and celery with about half of the dressing in a large bowl, then spread them evenly onto a large platter.
Toss the octopus with the remaining 2 tablespoons oil and grill over direct heat, turning occasionally, until charred in places, 6 to 8 minutes. (Alternatively, sear the octopus in a large heavy skillet over medium-high heat.) Transfer the octopus to a bowl with the remaining dressing, tossing to coat. Arrange the whole octopus tentacles over the salad and scatter the parsley leaves over the top.
◁ HAND-ROLLED COUSCOUS
Our fascination with hand-rolled couscous started with a recipe by Moroccan-born chef Mourad Lahlou that Shelley found while searching for couscous that would remind her of the versions she’d tasted in Paris, a city with wonderful pockets of North African influence. With its lighter texture and fresher taste, the difference between this and the instant stuff is night and day. Having played with Lahlou’s recipe many times, here is our adaptation. A couscoussière is a large pot made up of two parts: the base, where the stew is cooked, and the top section, which has a perforated bottom, where the couscous steams. If you don’t have one, you can use a pasta pot with a shallow steamer insert and lid.
MAKES about 5 cups, serves 8 to 10
4 teaspoons kosher salt
2 cups warm water
4 cups fine semolina, divided, plus more for finishing
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
EQUIPMENT:
a clean spray bottle; a large rimmed baking sheet; a classic metal 3-footed colander; a 12- to 16-quart couscoussière or pasta pot with shallow steamer insert; cheesecloth
Dissolve 4 teaspoons salt in the water and place some in the spray bottle. Spread 1 cup semolina on the rimmed baking sheet in a thin layer. Moisten the semolina lightly all over by spraying it 10 to 15 times with the spray bottle. Gently work the semolina in a circular motion with both your hands held flat and fingers spread, without pressure, until the semolina has absorbed all the water and feels dry.
Continue to moisten the semolina, 10 to 15 sprays at a time, and roll with your palms and fingers until the semolina, which will increase in size and become rounder, starts to look like fine couscous, about the size of a pinhead. If the grains are slightly wet, sprinkle with a little more fine semolina and roll lightly in a circular motion as before until they feel mostly dry.
Set the colander over a large shallow container and gently work the couscous through the colander holes, discarding any large clumps that accumulate in the colander.
Repeat this process with the rest of the semolina, 1 cup at a time, and as much of the salted water as needed. The couscous can be left to dry for several hours before starting the steaming process. If you are making the couscous with a stew in the bottom of a couscoussière, see Braised Lamb and Vegetable Stew with Hand-Rolled Couscous for cooking instructions.
To steam the couscous on its own, bring 4 quarts water to a boil in the bottom of the couscoussière or pasta pot. Once the water has come to a boil, line the perforated top section of the couscoussière or the steamer basket with a large double-layered piece of cheesecloth. Loosely mound the hand-rolled couscous in the cloth and set the insert over the boiling water. Wrap a large kitchen towel or plastic wrap around the sides of the couscoussière where the two sections of the pot meet, to force all the steam up through the couscous. Let it steam, uncovered (so the steam doesn’t condense and drip down onto the couscous, making it heavy), for 20 minutes.
Gather the couscous up by the edges of the cheesecloth and empty it into a wide shallow pan. Sprinkle with 3/4 cup water and let stand until cool enough to handle. Rub the couscous between your hands to separate the grains.
Return the cheesecloth to the top of the couscous pot and lightly mound the couscous on it again. Let it steam in the same way over the boiling water for another 20 minutes. Transfer the couscous once again to the shallow pan. This time, drizzle with 3/4 cup more water as well as the melted butter. When cool enough to handle, rub the grains between your hands again and return the couscous to the cloth-lined top section of the pot. (This much can be done a couple of hours ahead.)
About 15 minutes before serving, place the couscous over the boiling water, wrapping the sides of the couscoussière or pasta pot with the towel again, and steam the couscous until heated through, about 15 minutes. Fluff the couscous with a fork and mound on a large platter to serve.
◁ BRAISED LAMB AND VEGETABLE STEW WITH HAND-ROLLED COUSCOUS
This is a very festive dish that is perfect for entertaining a small crowd of family or friends. The large mound of couscous at the center of the meat and vegetables looks very impressive when brought to the table. The broth is served separately—not on top of the couscous, which would just make it heavy after you’ve worked so hard to get it light and fluffy. Although we usually teach our students to simmer meat gently to prevent toughness, boiling it, as is done here so that the steam cooks the couscous above it, just makes things cook more quickly; the lamb will stay beautifully tender.
SERVES 8 TO 10
FOR THE LAMB
1 tablespoon cumin seeds
1 teaspoon black peppercorns
1/2 teaspoon saffron threads
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 (4- to 5-pound) lamb shoulder, boned and cut into large pieces, bones reserved
FOR THE COUSCOUS
1/4 teaspoon saffron threads
2 teaspoons kosher salt
2 tablespoons boiling water
1 1/2 cups cold water
4 to 5 cups Hand-Rolled Couscous
2 tablespoons butter, melted, or extra-virgin olive oil
FOR THE BROTH
2 onions, halved
2 carrots, halved
2 celery ribs, halved
1 head of garlic, halved crosswise
4 large thyme sprigs
4 quarts water
1/4 cup Smoked Fermented Harissa
FOR THE VEGETABLES
1 pound carrots, peeled and cut on the diagonal into 1-inch-thick pieces
1 pound small shallots or cipollini onions, peeled
1 1/2 pounds delicata squash, seeded (not peeled) and cut into 3/4-inch half moons, or butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cut into 1-inch cubes
1 pound purple-top turnips, peeled, or Hakurei turnips (if in season), cut into 1-inch wedges
1 pound medium zucchini, cut into 3/4-inch rounds
1 (14-ounce) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
EQUIPMENT:
cheesecloth; a 12- to 16-quart couscoussière (shown here) or pasta pot with a shallow steamer insert and lid
To prepare the lamb, combine the cumin, peppercorns, saffron, and 1 tablespoon salt in a clean coffee/spice grinder and grind to a powder. Rub this mixture all over the pieces of lamb. Let stand at least 30 minutes.
To prepare the couscous, put the saffron and 2 teaspoons salt in a small bowl and pour the boiling water over it to infuse for 10 minutes. Add the cold water. Reserve this saffron water to moisten the couscous grains between steamings.
To prepare the broth, place the onions, carrots, celery, garlic, and thyme in a large square of cheesecloth and tie the corners together or enclose with kitchen string (this will make it easier to remove later). Drop the bundle into the couscoussière, add the 4 quarts water, and bring to a boil over high heat. Add the lamb shoulder and any lamb bones and return to a boil. Boil the stew covered, to prevent evaporation (except when steaming the couscous over it), until tender, about 1 1/2 hours.
Once the stew has come to a boil, line the perforated top section of the couscoussière with a large double-layered piece of cheesecloth. Loosely mound the hand-rolled couscous in the cloth and put the pot over the boiling stew. Wrap a large kitchen towel or plastic wrap around the sides of the couscoussière where the two sections of the pot meet, to force all the steam up through the couscous. Let it steam, uncovered (so the steam doesn’t condense and drip down onto the couscous, making it heavy), for 20 minutes.
Gather the couscous up by the edges of the cheesecloth and empty it into a wide shallow pan. Sprinkle with 3/4 cup of the saffron water and let stand until it’s cool enough to handle. Rub the couscous between your hands to separate the grains.
Return the cheesecloth to the top of the couscous pot and lightly mound the couscous on it again. Let it steam in the same way over the boiling stew for another 20 minutes. Transfer the couscous once again to the shallow pan. This time drizzle with the remaining saffron water as well as the melted butter. When it’s cool enough to handle, rub the grains between your hands again and return the couscous to the cloth-lined top section of the pot; set aside until the meat is tender and the stew is finished.
Preheat the oven to 350°F.
When the lamb shoulder is tender, transfer the pieces of meat to another ovenproof pan. Add a little bit of the broth to keep the meat moist, cover with foil, and transfer to the oven to keep warm. Remove the cheesecloth bundle from the broth and use tongs to squeeze any juices from it into the broth; discard the bundle along with any bones.
To cook the vegetables, add the carrots and shallots to the broth and boil for 10 minutes. Add the squash and turnips to the broth and return to a boil. Place the couscous over the pot and steam until heated through, about 15 minutes. Remove the couscous and add the zucchini and chickpeas to the broth. Cook until the zucchini is just tender, about 5 minutes.
Fluff the couscous with a fork and mound on a large platter to serve. Remove the vegetables from the broth with a slotted spoon and arrange them around the couscous. In a small bowl, gradually stir 1 cup broth into the harissa to combine the two. Add a small amount of the harissa mixture to the remaining broth to give it a smoky, spicy taste, then season the broth to taste with salt and pepper and serve in a large bowl. Serve the meat in another bowl.
To serve, each person puts a mound of couscous on one side of a soup bowl and a mound of vegetables and meat next to it. Spoon some of the broth over the meat and vegetables, avoiding the couscous so it stays light and fluffy. Serve the rest of the harissa mixture on the side with a small spoon.
◁ PISTACHIO BAKLAVA
Turkish and Persian versions of this classic Mediterranean sweet are often made with pistachios instead of the more familiar walnuts, adding color and a lighter overall feel. We prefer the floral sweetness of Mexican or Sri Lankan—also called Ceylon—cinnamon here and like to pair this dessert with a bright orange sorbet, which helps balance its buttery richness. If you’re feeding a crowd, this recipe can easily be doubled—use a 17×12-inch rimmed baking sheet instead.
MAKES about 24 pieces
FOR THE SYRUP
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup water
3 strips orange zest
3 strips lemon zest
1/2 orange, juiced
1/2 lemon, juiced
1 (3-inch) cinnamon stick (preferably Mexican or Sri Lankan)
1/2 cup honey
2 tablespoons orange flower water, optional but recommended
FOR THE FILLING
2 cups shelled unsalted pistachios, finely chopped
3/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon (preferably Mexican or Sri Lankan)
1 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
12 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
8 ounces phyllo dough sheets, defrosted if frozen
ACCOMPANIMENT:
Orange Sorbet (see below)
To make the syrup, combine the sugar, water, citrus zests and juices, and cinnamon stick in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil, stirring until the sugar is dissolved, then simmer for 10 minutes. Stir in the honey and transfer the syrup to a large measuring cup and let cool to room temperature. Discard the cinnamon stick and add the orange flower water, if using. Set aside.
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Using a large knife, cut the sheets of phyllo in half crosswise and cover them completely with a kitchen towel to keep them from drying out.
To make the filling, mix the pistachios, sugar, ground cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamom, cloves, and 1/4 teaspoon salt together in a large bowl (we recommend using your hands for this).
Generously brush a 9×13-inch baking dish with some of the melted butter. Lay a sheet of phyllo in the pan and brush the top with butter. Lay another sheet of phyllo in the pan, adjusting it if necessary so the bottom of the pan is completely covered, and brush the top with butter. Repeat until you have 5 sheets in the pan. Spread a scant 1 cup of the pistachio mixture over the buttered phyllo and drizzle with a little more butter.
Repeat the layering of 5 phyllo sheets and pistachio mixture 2 more times, then top with a final 5 sheets of phyllo. Reserve any extra pistachio mixture for garnish.
Using a sharp knife, cut the baklava lengthwise into 4 rows, cutting all the way to the bottom of the pan, then make diagonal cuts across the strips to create 2- to 3-inch diamonds.
Bake the baklava, rotating the pan halfway through, until golden, about 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and pour the syrup over the hot baklava, especially around the edges and over the cuts (it will sizzle and puff slightly), then transfer the pan to a rack to soak and cool for at least 1 hour.
Serve the baklava at room temperature, or, if you like, reheat the baklava in the oven until warmed through, about 10 minutes. Serve the pieces, sprinkled with any of the remaining pistachio mixture, alongside a small cup of orange sorbet.
◁ ORANGE SORBET
Sure, oranges are available year-round, but they make such a bright treat in the doldrums of winter, when they are actually in season. This easy sorbet runs circles around the store-bought stuff, and the proportions here will translate to just about any fruit. We make sorbets from all sorts of juices, adding a little more sugar to taste for tarter fruits such as lemon or lime. If you don’t have an ice-cream maker, serve this instead as a granita. Just freeze it in a shallow, nonreactive metal pan or even a glass Pyrex dish, and scrape the ice crystals with a fork every 15 minutes or so as it freezes and once more before serving.
MAKES about 1 quart
3 cups freshly squeezed and strained orange juice
2 teaspoons finely grated orange zest
2/3 cup sugar
2/3 cup water
EQUIPMENT:
an ice-cream maker
Place the orange juice in a large measuring cup or bowl. Bring the zest, sugar, and water to a boil in a small saucepan over moderate heat, stirring until the sugar is dissolved. Pour the syrup through a very fine mesh sieve into the orange juice, pressing on the zest to extract as much syrup as possible. Stir together, then chill until very cold.
Freeze the sorbet in an ice-cream maker until it is the consistency of soft-serve ice cream, then transfer to a quart container and freeze until solid, about 4 hours.