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Couscous di pesce (Fish Couscous)

Total Time1 hour

Ingredients

For the fish soup:

  • 1 medium onion finely chopped
  • 1 medium carrot finely chopped
  • 1 stalk of celery finely chopped
  • 2-3 cloves of garlic finely chopped
  • A few sprigs of parsley finely chopped
  • A pinch of red chili pepper flakes
  • Olive oil q.b.
  • 250-300 ml 1 to 1-1/2 cup passata di pomodoro, preferably homemade
  • 1-1.5 kilo 2-3 lbs mixed firm-fleshed fish and shellfish
  • A few threads of saffron optional
  • A bay leaf

For the coucous:

  • 250 g-300g 9 to 10-1/2 oz pre-cooked or regular packaged couscous
  • A handful of almonds chopped
  • A pinch of ground cinnamon
  • A pinch of ground nutmeg

Instructions

Step 1: Prepare the fish soup

  • In a pot large enough to contain all your seafood comfortably, sauté the onion, carrot, celery, parsley, garlic and red pepper flakes in abundant olive oil over low heart until quite soft. Add a pinch of salt as you sauté, taking care not to let anything brown.
  • Add the tomatoes to the pot and let them reduce for a few minutes into a saucy consistency.
  • Lay on the fish and other seafood, then add enough water to cover the seafood, along with the bay leaf and saffron if using. Simmer, uncovered, for a good 20-30 minutes, until the seafood is cooked through and broth is very flavorful. Taste and adjust for salt.
  • Remove the fish and other seafood from the pot. Using a paring or boning knife, remove the skin and filet the fish. Cut the filets, if need be, into serving-size pieces. Place the fish filets and shellfish in a bowl and cover to keep warm. Discard the fish heads, skin and bones.
  • Pour the remaining broth through a fine sieve, pressing out the liquid from the solids, and return it to the pot, along with the seafood.

Step 2: Make the couscous:

  • If you are using pre-cooked couscous, you should follow the measurements and instructions on the package, but using the fish broth or a 50/50 combination of broth and water instead of water. Generally speaking, the instructions will tell you to add pre-cooked couscous to hot liquid and allowed to steam off heat.
  • Bring the required amount of liquid to a boil, add the precooked couscous, together with the chopped almonds and spices, give it all a good stir and cover. Let the couscous stand for a good 5 minutes, or until the broth is fully absorbed and the couscous tender. Once the couscous is cooked, fluff it with a fork.

Step 3: Assemble and serve:

  • When you are ready to serve, bring the broth back to the barest simmer to reheat the seafood.
  • For a family style presentation, serve the couscous in a large serving bowl, perhaps topped with more chopped almonds and a few pieces of seafood, with the fish soup in a separate soup terrine. Each diner can take a portion of couscous, and top it with the seafood and a good ladleful of the borth, to their taste. For a fancier presentation, you can plate individual servings as pictured here.