Not Risotto but Couscous!

Well I haven't attempted the risotto recipes yet but I did make a recipe that uses couscous this evening to go along with our supper....  We had baked chicken and potatoes with fried garlic parmesan bacon couscous patties.

The chicken and potatoes were super simple... In a 13x9 baking dish, place 4-5 frozen boneless, skinless chicken breast.  Dollop butter all over and under the chicken (no need to grease the dish). Sprinkle with black pepper, salt, minced garlic, and a dash of italian herbs.  Chop up a couple of russet potatoes and scatter them over the chicken.  Cover with foil.  Bake at 275 for 1 hour.  Then turn off the heat and just let the dish remain in the oven for about 30 more minutes.  YUM YUM YUM!!!

Now for the couscous patties... They reminded me of cornbread fritters in the end but I think with a little tweaking of the seasonings they will go from good to great!  I think they needed a little more salt and garlic....

Here's what you need:

2 cups cooked couscous
4 eggs, beaten
salt to taste
2 tsp. minced garlic
1 bundle chopped green onions
1/2 cup chopped yellow onion
1 cup bread crumbs
1 cup fresh, grated parmesan
1/2 cup real bacon pieces
oil for frying

Follow the directions on the couscous package.  Once the couscous is done, mix with 4 beaten eggs, salt, green onions, yellow onions, and cheese together. ( I used a spoon to mix with at first but then found my hands to work better.) Mix in the bacon pieces and the bread crumbs.  If the mixture is too wet then add more bread crumbs and if it is too dry just add a little water at a time.  The mixture needs to be moist/dry enough to hold together in a patty form.  Once you have the consistency right, start heating your oil.  You don't need much, maybe about 1/2 cup.  Heat on medium high.  Form the couscous mixture into patties and then fry.  You want the patty golden brown on both sides.  Serve warm.

So we sat down at the table, said grace, and then dived in!  Let's just say our bellies were happy, happy, happy!