October 18, 2009: The couscous experiment - phase III

For the third and final phase of the couscous experiment, I chose and adapted one of the recipes that was supplied with our promotional package of pearl couscous. Originally a "medley of mushroom and spinach with gourmet pearl couscous and bacon", I replaced the bacon with a vegetarian imitation, and the spinach with silverbeet.

In this recipe, the onions and mushrooms get sauteed before the couscous and stock are added. Once the stock has been absorbed, in goes the spinach/silverbeet and some grated parmesan, and on goes some grilled (faux) bacon. Based on our previous trials, it was pretty clear to me that product #3, the moghrabieh, was not going to come out of this well. Given the risotto-like nature of the recipe I decided to replace it with product #3a, arborio rice. Costing $2.49 for a 500g packet ($4.98/kg) at our local supermarket, it's at the cheaper and more accessible end of the products.

Let's kick off with the recipe, should you wish to try it at home.

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Experimental couscous risotto
(based on a recipe by Gabriel Gate in promotion of pearl couscous)

1 onion, finely chopped
400g mushrooms, chopped
2 cups couscous (or appropriate experimental substitute)
3 cups stock
3 cups chopped silverbeet
1/2 cup grated parmesan
4 slices faux bacon
olive oil
salt and pepper

Genlty saute the onions in some olive oil until they are soft and beginning to brown, 5-10 minutes. Add the mushrooms and continue to saute until the mushrooms are tender. Add the couscous and stock; bring the mixture to the boil, then turn it down to a simmer. Cook, adding extra water when necessary, until the couscous is tender (time will vary dramatically between products).

While the couscous is cooking, grill the faux bacon until crispy. When the couscous is ready, stir through the silverbeet and cook for a further minute. Take the saucepan off the heat, seasoning with salt and pepper then stirring through the parmesan. Serve the couscous topped with the grilled faux bacon.

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Results

Product #1, the standard supermarket-sourced couscous, was of course the quickest to cook. The flavours of the mushroom and stock carried through nicely, but I didn't think it particularly suited the use of parmesan.


Product #2, the pearl couscous, should have been at a distinct advantage here since the recipe is intended for its use. Actually, it was our least favourite - the pearls have a smooth, slippery suface that just didn't meld with the cheese.


Product #3a, the arborio rice, took substantially longer to cook through than the pearl couscous. While the creamy texture was what we know and love from traditional risottos, this rendition was surprisingly bland.


Product #4, the quinoa, took the longest to cook but was the greatest pleasure to eat. Though its chewy hulls were a far cry from the texture of conventional risotto, it had the deepest, most satisfying flavour. Interestingly, we weren't at all troubled by its combination with the parmesan.

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The couscous experiment - Conclusions

After trialling a few semi-comparable products on the market, we've not arrived at a single superior product. The Moroccan/North African couscous (product #1) is undeniably the cheapest and most convenient option, cooking up in just a few minutes. It absorbs flavours nicely but doesn't offer much to get your teeth into. By contrast, the new pearl couscous (product #2, which we received promotional packets of) has a bit more substance. It still cooks reliably in ten minutes, absorbs flavours well, and has a unique silky texture. It's great on its own and pretty good in soup, but we wouldn't recommend it as a novelty risotto ingredient. It's also at the pricier end of these items.

Products #3 and #3a, the moghrabieh and arborio rice, didn't really shine in these trials but I think they each have their place. Arborio is the traditional risotto queen, while some leftover moghrabieh soup hinted at what it can be at its best.

Quinoa (product #4) is probably the most nutritionally attractive of the bunch. It's pricey and takes some time to cook through, but the rewards can be great. With a nutty taste and chewy, bubbly texture it already has a lot of character of its own, yet it also pairs brilliantly with stock and the cheesy-risotto approach. I'd think twice, however, before adding it to another soup.

So while the new pearl couscous is probably worth a try, it doesn't completely outcompete the alternatives. It'll be a welcome addition to our rotation of starchy sides, though it probably won't reach the staple status that quinoa holds in our pantry.

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Take a look at the first and second installments of the couscous experiment.

September 29-October 3, 2009: The couscous experiment - phase II

The second stage of the couscous experiment involved soup. I decided that the ideal candidate recipe already in our repertoire was savoury harira soup - there's lots of spicy liquid for the couscous to soak up, and the recipe is already dotted with onion, celery and lentils to trigger the teeth into action. I reckoned on 1/2 cup of couscous to 2 cups of soup, though this brought us slightly soupy grains rather than the slightly grainy soup I was aiming for. With the different soup styles being eaten over a few days, this isn't the fairest or best controlled experiment. Nevertheless, the results were interesting and not entirely what I expected.

Product #1, the standard supermarket couscous, took very little time to cook through. Not soaking up all the liquid, this version was Michael's favourite of the set.

Product #2, the pearl couscous, also had a lovely moistness to it. I liked it most fresh from the pot but I found that the leftovers the next day had lost their bite and were almost mushy.

Product #3. After more than 20 minutes simmering in soup the moghrabieh was still too much to chew. However its texture was toned down as a leftover lunch, and by then it was my favourite of the bunch.

Product #4. The couscous-alternative quinoa soaked up a lot of the liquid and was ultimately a bit dry. Clearly it needs to be used in small doses when soup is on the menu.

Although these dishes were less liquidy than I intended, a flavour-packed base recipe guaranteed some tasty meals. Texture-wise there's no clear winner - Michael preferred the standard version, while I'd use pearl for a short simmer and moghrabieh for the long haul. And I can't help thinking that the quinoa didn't quite get a fair go from my failed design.

I think we've got at least one more couscous recipe in us. Stay tuned for the final phase and wrap-up.

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You can read the first instalment of the couscous experiment here.

September 26, 2009: The couscous experiment - phase I

Recently a marketer representing a food company offered us some samples of a new brand of couscous. Couscous is not something we use an awful lot of and I wasn't sure I could fairly assess or review it as a stand-alone product; we'd rather not post about foods that we wouldn't use or willingly pay for ourselves. But as a scientist by day, it didn't take me long to devise a series of trials, whereby we could test this product other couscous options available to the home cook.

Let me run you through our contenders.

Product #1. This is the standard variety of couscous that's been available at supermarkets for years (aka North African or Moroccan couscous, I think). A 500g box goes for $2.39 at our nearest supermarket (that's $4.78/kg) and the only ingredient is 'durum wheat semolina flour'.

Product #2. This is the new couscous on the block, the 'pearl' variety (aka Israeli couscous, as far as I can tell). Our friendly marketer tells me it retails at $3.29 for 250g ($13.16/kg) at major supermarkets and some delis. Its sole ingredient is wheat flour.

Product #3. I picked up this moghrabieh (aka Lebanese couscous) from a new food store called Two Prickly Pears at the Carlton end of Lygon St. This 1 kg bag cost $9.95, though it might be available for less elsewhere - has anyone spotted moghrabieh on Sydeny Rd, for example? Its ingredients are semolina, salt and water.

Product #4. I've added quinoa as a final left-field entry. While the various couscous varieties are all essentially pasta, quinoa is a whole grain (and supposedly a super food). Since it cooks up to a similar consistency to ordinary couscous (product #1) and is arguably a more nutritious alternative, I've been substituting quinoa in couscous recipes for a couple of years. This organic quinoa (from Allergy Block) cost $8.30 for 600g (that's $13.83/kg).


The couscous experiment: phase I
For our first taste test, something simple. We cooked each product according to the directions on the packet, adding some 'chicken' stock powder to the cooking water and a small slug of olive oil to finish.

Product #1. The standard couscous takes only 5 minutes to prepare and roughly doubles in volume. A sunny yellow colour, it was soft (not at all chewy) and absorbed the stock flavour well.

Product #2. The pearl couscous took about 10 minutes to cook and expanded only a little. Its colour was more beige; the pearls were tender with some chewiness, and the stock flavouring clearly shone through.

Product #3. The moghrabieh took the longest to prepare (15-20 minutes) and did not expand substantially. Since it's boiled in a large amount of water (in every other case all the cooking water is absorbed), it's probably not surprising that the stock flavouring was rather weak. Even after the longer cooking time these were very chewy, occasionally tough, possibly still undercooked.

Product #4. After 10-15 minutes of cooking, the quinoa doubled in volume. The grains become translucent and lightly golden-brown. It's the outer hull that provides chewiness, a different experience to chewing the denser centres of the larger couscous varieties. Quinoa has a distinctive nutty flavour of its own and the stock only came through mildly. Michael thought this tasted "healthier" than the other products.

At the end of phase I, Michael and I agreed that we preferred the pearl couscous over the other options. It had a nice balance of tenderness and toothsomeness, and carried the stock flavouring best of all. The quinoa earned second place - it has a unique taste and texture that doesn't demand too much seasoning.

This wouldn't be phase I unless there were more couscous experiments to come. Keep an eye out for the next installment!