Fish Couscous with Onion T'faya

From EatingWell: September/October 2008 — Subscribe Now!

T'fayas, special-occasion dishes served all along Morocco's Atlantic coast, are known for their thick, sweet and heavily spiced sauces. This one gets a pleasant layer of sweetness from raisins and a touch of sugar, which marries perfectly with halibut.

READER'S COMMENT:

"I have made this dish several times and it is fantastic. I usually use cod because it is more available, but I don't think the fish really matters because the blend of spices is just very complex and very satisfying. "

8 servings

Active Time: 1 hour

Total Time: 1 hour

Nutrition Profile

Ingredients

1/2 cup raisins
4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
2 tablespoons butter
8 saffron threads, (see Ingredient Note)
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
3 large onions, (2-2 1/2 pounds), very thinly sliced
1 tablespoon sugar
2 1/3 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth, fish broth or vegetable broth, divided
2 1/2 pounds Pacific halibut, or other firm white fish, skinned and cut into 2-inch wide pieces
Freshly ground pepper, to taste
1 tablespoon canola oil
1/2 cup sliced or slivered almonds
1 cup whole-wheat couscous

Preparation

Place raisins in a small bowl and cover with warm water; let soak for 10 minutes. Drain.
Crush saffron and salt together in a mortar and pestle until a coarse powder forms. (Alternatively, place saffron and salt on a cutting board and use the flat side of a chef’s knife to grind into a coarse powder.) Combine with ginger, turmeric, allspice, nutmeg, cinnamon and pepper in a small bowl.
Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil and butter in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the spice mixture and cook, stirring, until the mixture starts to foam. Add onions, sugar and the plumped raisins. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions turn light brown, 20 to 25 minutes. Add 1 cup broth and nestle fish into the onion mixture. Cover and cook until the fish is flaky, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and season with pepper. Cover and set aside.
Meanwhile, heat canola oil in a small skillet over medium-high heat. Add almonds and cook, stirring, until just beginning to turn golden, about 1 minute. Drain on paper towels.
Bring the remaining 1 1/3 cups broth and the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil to a boil in a small saucepan. Add couscous in a stream. Stir once. Cover, remove from the heat and let stand for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork.
To serve, mound the couscous on a shallow platter. Top with the fish and onion t’faya and sprinkle the almonds on top.

Tips & Notes

Ingredient note: The dried stigma from Crocus sativus, saffron adds flavor and golden color to a variety of Middle Eastern, African and European foods. Find it in the spice section of supermarkets, gourmet shops and at tienda.com. It will keep in an airtight container for several years.

Nutrition

Per serving: 464 calories; 18 g fat (4 g sat, 9 g mono); 54 mg cholesterol; 39 g carbohydrates; 37 g protein; 6 g fiber; 702 mg sodium; 839 mg potassium.

Nutrition Bonus: Magnesium (36% daily value), Potassium (24% dv).

2 Carbohydrate Serving

Exchanges: 1 1/2 starch, 1 vegetable, 1/2 fruit, 4 lean meat, 2 fat