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Le Chaudron recipe
Couscous marocain royal
Royal Moroccan couscous with lamb, chicken and merguez
⏱ 120 minServes 8Hard520 kcal
A recipe from Le Chaudron — the cooking of France’s regions.
01 — Ingredients8 servings
500 g (18 oz)medium couscous
1 kg (2.2 lb)lamb shoulder, cubed
500 g (18 oz)chickenlegs or thighs
300 g (11 oz)lamb merguez sausages
5carrots
5turnips
3zucchini
1medium green cabbage
300 g (11 oz)pumpkin
400 g (14 oz)canned chickpeas
200 g (7 oz)golden raisins
3yellow onions
5 clovesgarlic
1large bunch of fresh cilantro
1large bunch of flat-leaf parsley
2 tbspras el hanout
2 tbspground cumin
1 tbspsweet paprika
1 tspsaffron threads
1 tspground ginger
1 tspground cinnamon
100 g (3½ oz)unsalted butter
5 tbspolive oil
200 g (7 oz)harissafor serving
1 tspfleur de sel (flaky sea salt)
1 tspfreshly ground pepper
- 500 g (18 oz) medium couscous
- 1 kg (2.2 lb) lamb shoulder, cubed
- 500 g (18 oz) chicken legs or thighs
- 300 g (11 oz) lamb merguez sausages
- 5 carrots
- 5 turnips
- 3 zucchini
- 1 medium green cabbage
- 300 g (11 oz) pumpkin
- 400 g (14 oz) canned chickpeas
- 200 g (7 oz) golden raisins
- 3 yellow onions
- 5 cloves garlic
- 1 large bunch of fresh cilantro
- 1 large bunch of flat-leaf parsley
- 2 tbsp ras el hanout
- 2 tbsp ground cumin
- 1 tbsp sweet paprika
- 1 tsp saffron threads
- 1 tsp ground ginger
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 100 g (3½ oz) unsalted butter
- 5 tbsp olive oil
- 200 g (7 oz) harissa for serving
- 1 tsp fleur de sel (flaky sea salt)
- 1 tsp freshly ground pepper
Quantities scaled for — some (egg, lemon, garlic…) are rounded to what’s practical.
Serves 8. In the app, quantities adjust to the number of guests on their own — and the ingredients go straight to your shopping list.
03 — Method
- COUSCOUS ROYAL is a MOROCCAN classic, the traditional Friday family meal: three meats (lamb, chicken, merguez), seven vegetables and hand-rolled semolina.
- Build the base in the bottom of the couscoussier: heat 5 tbsp olive oil over medium heat. Cook the 3 sliced onions 8 minutes until golden. Add the garlic and cook 1 minute.
- Add the lamb and chicken and brown 10 minutes, turning often. Stir in the ras el hanout, ground cumin, sweet paprika, saffron, ground ginger and ground cinnamon. Toast 2 minutes.
- Cover with 2 L (2 qt) hot water and bring to a simmer over high heat. Season with fleur de sel and plenty of pepper. Cover and simmer 1 HOUR over low heat until the meat starts to get tender.
- Meanwhile, peel and cut the vegetables into large pieces: carrots in 5 cm (2 in) lengths, turnips in quarters, zucchini in thick 3 cm (1¼ in) half-rounds, pumpkin in large 4 cm (1½ in) cubes. Trim the green cabbage and cut into 6 wedges.
- Prepare the couscous: put it in the large bowl and sprinkle with 250 ml (1 cup) warm salted water. Mix VIGOROUSLY with a fork, then RUB the grains between your palms for 5 minutes to separate them. This is the heart of real Moroccan couscous.
- Add the vegetables to the pot by cooking time: carrots and turnips first (30 minutes left), then the zucchini, pumpkin, cabbage and raisins 15 minutes later. Meanwhile, steam the couscous for 20 minutes in the uncovered top basket of the couscoussier.
- During the last 15 minutes, grill the merguez in the very hot large skillet, 5 minutes per side. Fluff the steamed couscous and fork in the cubed butter. Serve the couscous with the meats, vegetables, broth and harissa.
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