Lamb-and-sausage Couscous

• Total Time: 2 hrs 25 mins
• Prep Time: 25 mins
• Cook Time: 2 hrs

Ingredients:

Servings: 6

• 3 lbs lamb shoulder , cut into 2-in cubes
• ½ teaspoon salt
• freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 medium onion , quartered
• 4 medium carrots , peeled and cut into 1/2-in rounds
• 2 celery ribs , cut into 4 pieces
• ¼ cup tomato paste
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 cup dry white wine
• 6 cups low sodium chicken broth or 6 cups water
• 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 tablespoon ground cumin
• 6 spicy sausages , preferably italian-style
• 2 medium zucchini , cut into rounds 1-in thick
• 1 ½ cups couscous

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
2. Pat the meat dry and sprinkle with salt and pepper as desired.
3. Heat the oil in a large covered casserole or dutch oven over high heat on top of the stove.
4. Add the meat, without crowding, in batches if necessary, and brown well on all sides.
5. Remove pieces to a plate as they are done and reserve.
6. Repeat until all meat is browned.
7. Do not pour off fat.
8. Replace the casserole over medium heat.
9. Add the onion, carrots, celery and tomato paste.
10. Cook, stirring occasionally, 5 minutes.
11. Use your spoon to loosen and dissolve the brown bits stuck to the bottom of the casserole.
12. Add flour and cook, stirring, an additional minute.
13. Add wine, meat (and any juices on the plate), stock, cayenne and cumin.
14. Cover, bring to a boil and place in the oven for 1 1/4 hours, or until meat is tender.
15. Meanwhile, combine sausage and zucchini in an ovenproof dish, cover and place in the oven until sausages are cooked, about 20 minutes.
16. Follow directions on the back of the box and cook the couscous.
17. Remove stewed lamb and the sausage/vegetable mixture from the oven.
18. Using a slotted spoon, remove the meat from the sauce and place it in a serving bowl.
19. Pour off and discard any excess fat from the sausages and add sausages and vegetables to the lamb.
20. Pour the thin gravy through a fine strainer into the serving bowl and discard the vegetables and spices that remain in the strainer.
21. To serve, place the couscous in another serving dish.
22. Pour the broth into a pitcher or soup tureen.
23. Encourage guests to place couscous in their soup bowl, top with the meat and vegetables and moisten with soup.

Reviews

[Andyru]

OK. As others have noted, this recipe is a bit confusing. However, if you read it through a few times and make sure you've figured out what you're doing, it'll work. Even then, you can mess around with it, and it still seems to work...

[Mysterygirl]

I only read down through step 14 before I started so when I read meat in step 4 I took it to mean both the lamb and the sausage. Once I realized my mistake I made the following changes. I cooked the sausages with the lamb and added it all to the soup. Then I added the zucchini to the soup about 20 minutes before it was done and I added the couscous to the soup without precooking it making this a one dish meal. The flavors were wonderful and I'm looking forward to the leftovers. I definitely reccommend this dish.

[Kathy LBS]

Excellent! I substituted lamb chops and shanks for the lamb shoulder, plus added sirloin tips and beef short ribs. Don't know if the sausage or zucchini is necessary, it's pretty much kept separate.