Best 5 Fish Couscous Recipes

CRISPY ZA'ATAR FISH WITH ISRAELI COUSCOUS, SWISS CHARD, AND FETA

Steps:

• In a small saucepan, cook couscous according to package directions, seasoning it with 1/2 teaspoon salt. Once cooked, drain the couscous and transfer to a medium bowl.
• While the couscous is cooking, drizzle 1 tablespoon oil over both sides of fish fillets and season with 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Rub each side of each fillet with 1 teaspoon za'atar.
• Heat a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat, and add 1 tablespoon oil. Once the oil is hot, add fish to skillet, skin-side down, and sear until skin is golden brown and crispy, 4 to 6 minutes. Flip fish and cook until fish is opaque and flakes easily with a fork, 1 to 2 minutes more. Transfer fish to a rimmed baking sheet or plate.
• Add chard stems and wine to pan; cook for 30 seconds. Stir in chard leaves, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper to skillet. Cover and cook until chard leaves are wilted, 2 to 3 minutes more.
• Add chard mixture to bowl with couscous. Fold in pomegranate seeds, olives, feta, and remaining 1/2 tablespoon oil. Squeeze lemon half over the mixture and toss to combine; taste and adjust seasoning.
• Divide couscous mixture among four plates and top with fish fillets, skin-side up.

FISH COUSCOUS

Steps:

• Make a fish stock by placing the fish heads and vegetable trimmings, salt, cayenne and 5 cups water in a large pan.
• Simmer stock for 20 minutes, then strain and reserve.
• Meanwhile, prepare the couscous for steaming. Place grains in a large bowl with 2 1/2 cups water. Stir well and set aside for 10 minutes. Fluff up the grains between your fingers to get rid of any lumps. Sprinkle with 2 tablespoons of the oil.
• Heat remaining oil in a large heavy pan and saute the onions until golden. Add the celery, carrots, turnips and the stock, adding water, if necessary, to make up 2 quarts.
• Make the tabil: pound all tabil ingredients in a mortar, then dry in a preheated oven at 200 degrees F for about half an hour. When very dry, grind to a fine powder (keeps up to 4 months if stored in an airtight container).
• Stir in the saffron, 1 1/2 teaspoons tabil and salt to taste. Cover and simmer for 15 minutes.
• Add the remaining vegetables.
• Place the couscous into a steamer, or in a colander lined with cheesecloth to fit on top of the pan, and simmer for 10 minutes. Check the liquid level and add more water if necessary, keeping it at a steady simmer so that the steam penetrates the couscous.
• Add the fish to the stock and simmer until cooked, about 10-12 minutes.
• Turn the couscous out into a large bowl, breaking up any lumps with a fork.
• To make a hot-tasting sauce, take out a ladleful of stock and stir in harissa, or paprika and cayenne, to taste.
• Serve the stew on top of the couscous or separately.

FISH AND COUSCOUS STUFFED MEDITERRANEAN CABBAGE ROLLS

Steps:

• Homemade Greek Seasoning -- You can make a batch of this up and put in a small spice jar. Once you try this, you will always keep some on hand.: 1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano, 1 teaspoon dried mint, 1 teaspoon dried thyme, 1/2 teaspoon dried basil, 1/2 teaspoon dried minced onion, 1/4 teaspoon dried minced garlic. Options, you can add some lemon pepper, or marjoram, but that is my favorite combination that I use.
• Cabbage -- In a large pot, bring salted water up to a boil and add the cabbage. Blanch, or cook the cabbage just until the leaves are tender or no longer stiff and easy to work work. It should take about 3-4 minutes. Now don't get rid of that water, just turn it off for now. Once the cabbage is cool enough to handle remove the outer leaves, the ones that are soft and no longer stiff. As you get in to the smaller leaves they will be stiffer, so heat up the water to a boil and put the cabbage back in to finish blanching the remaining cabbage, just another 2-3 minutes. Once cool, take off the leaves.
• Set all the leaves off to the side to cool. And don't worry if they are all different sizes, that is just the way stuffed cabbage is. Each stuffed leaf will be a bit different.
• NOTE: Don't throw that water out yet. We use it one more time.
• Fish -- Now you can use a variety of methods, but since you already have hot boiling water from the cabbage, why get rid of it. I simply put a steamer basket (or you can use a colander or even a strainer; I have even used a small grate) over the top, cut my fish fillets into 3" pieces, easier to work with, and add to the steamer basket. Put a lid or foil over the top and just cooked until slightly tender, but not too long. Usually 4-5 minutes is all you need. Remove and let cool.
• Couscous -- Now you can use your favorite brand. Simply follow the directions on the package. My method is to bring a bowl of water up to a boil in the microwave. Remove, add the couscous, cover with plastic wrap and you are done. You want approximately 1 1/2 cups cooked couscous, a little more or less is fine. Just set to the side.
• Vegetable Filling -- In a medium saute pan, heat to medium high and add the olive oil. Add the peppers, onion, celery, and garlic and cook 3-4 minutes until the vegetables begin to soften and the onion gets opaque. Then add in the scallions, parsley, Greek seasoning and olives and just stir to combine all the flavors. Remove to the side.
• Fish filling -- Take you fish and use your fork to flake the fish. I just roughly flake it, it will fall apart as you mix it with the other ingredients. To the couscous, just remove the plastic wrap or fork to "fluff up." Then add the fish, sauteed vegetables, lemon juice and zest, and the egg to the couscous. Mix well. Your filling is done.
• Sauce -- The sauce can simmer as you roll your cabbage leaves. In a medium to large pot bring to medium heat and add the olive oil and then the onions and garlic. Cook for just 2-3 minutes until the onions begin to soften. Deglaze the pan with the white wine and then add in the tomatoes and Greek seasoning. Stir well and then add in the artichoke hearts. Just reduce the heat to low and let it simmer.
• Rolls -- Now the fun part. Lay out the cabbage leaves and put a good spoon of the couscous mixture to the center of the leaf. I fold one end over (the smaller end), then tuck in the 2 sides, and finish rolling. Just like you would make a sandwich wrap. Secure with a toothpick and you are done.
• If you have any filling left, don't throw it out. Save it and reinvent it. Add some feta cheese and fresh tomatoes and serve as a cold salad over a bed of lettuce or stuff in a tomato for a quick healthy lunch or dinner.
• Casserole -- I like to bake mine in a large casserole dish, I add all the cabbage leaves and then top with the simmered tomato and artichoke sauce. In a 350 degree oven, cover and bake 30-40 minutes until the cabbage is very tender and all the filling reheats.
• Serve -- Make sure to serve 2-3 leaves per person and top with extra tomato sauce and the black olives as a garnish. Some crusty bread and you have a great dinner. I love to start with a bowl of creamy potato soup, I made earlier, so just reheat. It makes a nice Sunday Comfort Food Meal for a cold chilly day.

FISH FILLETS WITH HERBS, ZUCCHINI, AND WHOLE-WHEAT COUSCOUS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Pulse scallions, cilantro, mint, oil, ginger, coriander, and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a food processor until a coarse paste forms. Season with pepper.
• Toss zucchini with 3 tablespoons herb paste in a bowl. Spread onto a rimmed baking sheet. Roast for 5 minutes.
• Rub remaining herb paste onto both sides of fish fillets. Push zucchini to edges of baking sheet, and arrange fish in center, leaving about 1/2 inch between each fillet. Roast until fish is opaque and semi-firm to the touch, about 15 minutes. Meanwhile, prepare couscous according to package directions. Serve fish and zucchini over couscous.

SUMAC FISH & COUSCOUS SALAD (21 DAY WONDER DIET: DAY 3)

Steps:

• Spray medium pan with cooking oil; cook onion and garlic over heat, stirring, 1 minute. Add zucchini and tomatoes; cook, stirring occasionally, about 1o minutes or until vegetables soften. Remove from heat, stir in mint.
• Bring stock to a boil in a small saucepan; remove from heat, stir in couscous, stand 5 minutes. Stir into zucchini mixture.
• Meanwhile, preheat grill. Sprinkle fish with sumac; grill until cooked, turning once.
• Serve couscous topped with fish and lemon wedges.