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A Moroccan Mix of Quorn and Couscous
by Jen Hirt, from the February 2004 newsletter
Every time I find myself perusing the frozen foods at the Co-op, I linger on those orange, lower-shelf boxes and bags of something branded as Quorn. Already assailed with plenty of convenience-type fake meats, I was hesitant to bother with one more. But what was this “miracle food” from the UK? I’d even heard about it in the news.
Quorn is a fermented mycoprotein that is meat-free yet meat-styled. So it’s a fungus that tastes like chicken, minus the cholesterol and half the calories, but full of protein and fiber. Last month, the turkey-style roast got me thinking. A Moroccan meat-based recipe that had been begging for a vegetarian update finally had its new ingredient.
What makes this main course Moroccan is the couscous. A tasty tiny semolina pasta, couscous is a staple in North Africa. Just add hot liquid, and couscous fluffs up. I had always used couscous as a bed for other things, like the unadventurous “zucchini on a bed of couscous.” In this recipe, the couscous is stirred in at the end, and it sticks to the vegetables and the Quorn in perfect (I dare say magically perfect) proportions.
Moroccan Quorn and Couscous
(adapted from Kitchen Secrets)
Serves 4-5
1 Quorn turkey-style roast (or the chicken-style cutlets – just nothing breaded)
1 tbsp. olive oil
1 yellow onion, sliced
1 ½ tsp. paprika
1 ¼ tsp. ground ginger
1 tsp. ground coriander
¾ tsp. salt
½ tsp. black pepper
2 carrots, diced
2 ½ cups broth of your choice
1 large zucchini, diced
½ cup dried apricots, soaked overnight
1 cup couscous
½ cup chopped fresh cilantro
One day ahead of time, soak the apricots in enough water to cover them. They will reconstitute themselves into a sweet-soft texture. When they are soft, slice them. Discard any extra water.
Bake the Quorn roast according to directions on the package, but decrease the cooking time by ten minutes. Then chop it into bite-size chunks and set it aside.
In a large skillet, heat the oil over moderate heat for a minute. Add the sliced onions and sauté them from about five minutes, or until they are limp. Add the chopped Quorn, the carrots, and all the spices. Stir well to coat everything. Add stock and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, then cover and cook for 15 minutes.
Add the zucchini and the apricots. Stir again. Cover and cook for about 8 minutes, until the zucchini is just barely soft.
Finally, stir in the couscous (dry) and the cilantro. Cover and remove from heat. Let it sit for five minutes, so the couscous can absorb liquid. Serve hot. As an optional bonus, provide a dipping bowl of marinara.
Jen Hirt is an MFA student in creative writing at the University of Idaho. She's working on a collection of essays about greenhouses.
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