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Sunday night Fish cous cous

Lisa and I had this last night, it's a great stand-by recipe that reminds me of our holidays in Sicily where this dish originates from. The nagic ingredient here is the additon of the almonds to the tomato base. The addition of the nutty texture to the touch of chilli heat and the grainy cous cous makes for a combination that adds a little bit of North Africa to your basic Italian. It makes for a fine combination from a culinary perspective as it does when it comes to holiday destinations.
The only non-store cupboard thing that is essential is some decent white fish.... although you could probably use frozen ... I haven't tried it but I don't see why not.It won't be as good but I bet it wouldn't be half bad.
As with most of my favourite recipes it is also very simple to make.
It is based on a Rick Stein recipe but it is very easy to adapt and dress up depending on what ingredients you have available. Also the base can be made in advance, you could probably freeze it very well too.
Perfect for a Sunday night supper.

The base

Ingredients

400g tin of chopped tomatoes
3 garlic cloves chopped
50g blanched almonds
i fresh red chilli seeded and finely chopped (or chilli flakes to taste)
ex virgin olive oil

Method

1. Once almonds are cool, chop them in a blender ...not too fine, there should still be some texture.
2. Heat olive oil in a large heavy saucepan that has a lid.
3. Add all of the other ingredients.
4. Once simmering cook for a further 5 minutes and then the base is done.

.... to complete the dish

200gms cous cous
225 ml vegetable or fish stock
100ml white wine
1 teaspoon ras al hanout (optional)
White fish fillet chopped into generous chunks (haddock, cod, monkfish)


Method

1. Put cous cous in a large bowl and pour the stock over.
2. Heat tomato base on a high heat and then add white wine and cook fast until white wine eveapourates.
3. Put fish on top of sauce, turn the heat down to simmer and put lid on. Cook for 5 minutes.
4. Fluff up cous cous with a fork - imagine your are raking japanese gravel garden and slowly work your way down until it is all fluffy.
5. Add a generous helping of chopped flat leaf parsley to the cous cous and stir to mix in.
6. place fish and sauce on the cous cous and serve.

Options

- add some peeled raw prawns when you put the fish in.
- vary the fish selection
- add some chopped onion cooked in oil and a little cinammon to the cous cous
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