Yield: 6
Preparation time 30 minutes: total refrigeration time 1 hour.
Ingredients
Pilaf
- 2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil – (30ml)
- ¼ teaspoon coriander seeds – (1.25ml)
- ½ cup red bell pepper and green pepper, diced – (125ml)
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne – (1.25ml)
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon – (1.25ml)
- 3 cups chicken stock – (750ml)
- Pinch of saffron threads, crushed
- 1 ½ cups uncooked couscous – (375ml)
- 4 tablespoon fresh thyme, chopped – (60ml)
- 2 eggs
- Mint for garnish
Saffron Cream
- ½ cup cream cheese – (125ml)
- 1/3 cup sour cream – (75ml)
- Pinch of saffron threads, crushed
Directions
- Heat oil in pan over medium heat. Fry coriander seeds until toasted. Add bell peppers, cayenne and cinnamon and sauté until tender (approximately 4 minutes). Add chicken stock and saffron threads and bring to a boil. Stir in couscous, cover and remove from heat. Let it sit until all the liquid has been absorbed (approximately 10-15 minutes). If the liquid is not fully absorbed after the allotted time, return to low heat and cook until it is fully absorbed. Season with salt & pepper and sprinkle with chopped baby thyme. Stir, cover and refrigerate to cool.
- Beat the eggs together and fold them into the cooled couscous mixture. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate again for 1/2 hour.
- Using your hands, form palm sized pancakes with the mix and place them in a hot, oiled, non-stick skillet. Brown on both sides. Remove from pan and place on a paper towel to drain. Continue until all the mixture has been used.
- While it cools, make the saffron cream by combining the cream cheese, sour cream and saffron threads in a blender and mix until creamy.
- Plate the couscous pancakes with a dollop of saffron cream on top and garnish with mint.