Braised Cod with Cous Cous

I have written about this before the best thing about learning to cook is creating with little objective before you start and just seeing where it leads you.  This is significant for a couple of reasons.  First, it means you have good ingredients in the house to work with.  And second, that you are starting to get this cooking thing down.  As for me, I love when I create a dish with the hope that it will all go together.  Now, I am not saying that I pulled out ingredients that don’t have any connection.  In this case, the ingredients were Asian/Middle Eastern based.

Further, I am starting to learn different methods of cooking that enables me to take advantage of the ingredients in the house.  This recipe took advantage of Harissa for the cous cous and a ginger soy sauce for braising the cod.  The cous cous was cooked in one pan while I braised the cod in the second pan.  The cod was a good choice for this cooking method because it is thick enough to hold up to the sauce and the braising.  This Braised Cod with Cous Cous is definitely a repeat recipe.  It has both flavor and great textures.

Ingredients:

• 2 lbs of cod
• 1/4 ginger soy sauce
• 2 1/2 cup of chicken or vegetable stock, divided
• 1 cup of cous cous
• 1/4 of a leek, white part only
• 1/4 of a yellow onions, in half moon slices
• 1/4 green onion, green parts only
• 1 tbsp canola oil
• 2 – 3 tbsp harissa
• salt & pepper to taste

Directions:

In a sauté pan, heat the oil on medium heat.  When hot, add in the vegetables and cook until softened – about 4 – 5 minutes.  Salt and pepper to taste.  Now add in the cous cous and toast for 1 minute.  Let it absorb the flavor from the vegetables.  Add in 1 & 1/2 cups of the stock.  Let it simmer until the cous cous absorbs all the stock.  Finish by mixing in the harissa.

After the cous cous is toasted and the stock is added, it is time to start the cod.  Add the cod to a non-stick pan or pot and pour on the marinade.  Cook the fish no more than a minute on each side.  Add the braising liquid to the pan.

Cook for 6 – 8 minutes.  To serve, a couple big spoonfuls of the cous cous and top with the fish.  Be sure to grab some of the stock or now better thought of as the braising liquid.

Serve and enjoy!