Foodfreak called attention to this blog-event: Prune Blogging Thursday.
In my childhood I knew prunes as a part of “Backobst”, dried fruits. We ate it along with buckwheat-dumplings, a dish I didn’t like very much. But why not taking the opportunity to cook something prune-tacular!
So I tried
Couscous Tabbouleh with Glazed Prunes
by Antony Worrall Thompson from Ready Steady Cook and was pleasantly surprised!
What you need:
55 grams Semi-dried, pitted prunes; 2 oz
100 ml Red wine; 3½ fl oz
1/2 teasp. Ground cinnamon
2 teasp. Clear honey
200 grams Couscous; 7oz>
Pinch saffron
3 Handfuls chopped parsley
3 Handfuls chopped chives
Squeeze of lemon juice
Chestnut mushrooms, sliced
I used California prunes, I couldn’t find any from France and frozen herbs.
Method:
1. Place the prunes in a small saucepan and pour over the red wine. Simmer for 4 minutes then add cinnamon and honey. Simmer gently for 6-8 minutes or until the liquid has reduced to a sticky glaze for the prunes.
2. Soak the couscous with the saffron in salted water according to the pack instructions and set aside until the grains have fluffed up. Stir in the herbs and lemon juice and season to taste.
3. Pile the couscous into a serving dish, arrange the sliced mushrooms neatly over the surface and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Arrange the glazed prunes around the edge of the dish and serve at once.
I was really surprised about the contrast between the sweet prunes, salted tabbouleh and mushrooms.
