one at a time, stirring well after each addition. When you first add an egg, it will seem as though the dough can’t absorb it, but it will if you insist.
3. Transfer the dough to a sturdy freezer bag (to be used for piping the dough), press the air out, and zip or tie it shut. (You can also store the dough in a piping bag fitted with a ½-inch / 1 cm plain tip.) Refrigerate for 1 hour or up to a day.
4. Remove the freezer bag from the fridge and snip off one corner to create a ¾-inch / 2 cm opening.
5. To poach the gnocchi, bring salted water (or broth) to a low simmer in a large saucepan. Holding the bag close to the simmering water, press gently on the dough to force it out. As soon as it forms a small log about ½ inch / 1 cm in length, trim it off with a paring knife or kitchen shears so it falls into the water; be careful not to cause a splash and burn yourself. Repeat until you’ve used up all the dough; if you’re not the most well-coordinated person on the planet, get an assistant to help you with the squeezing and snipping.
6. After 3 minutes, the gnocchi will rise back up to the surface, indicating they are done. A cooked gnocchi should feel bouncy between your fingers and will not taste like raw flour. Lift them out of the water with a slotted spoon. If you’re still busy cutting fresh gnocchi into the pan when the first ones bob back up, you can leave them in for a short while; they won’t suffer from an extra minute’s cooking.
Couscous with Vegetables
COUSCOUS WITH VEGETABLES
Couscous aux légumes
SERVES 8
Couscous is so deeply ingrained in France’s culinary landscape that it is the nation’s second favorite dish, between blanquette de veau (a creamy veal stew) and moules-frites (mussels with fries). Our colonial history and a century of rule in North Africa—for better or worse—has left us with a pronounced taste for this brothy stew served over fine wheat semolina.
The version that’s served in restaurants is meat-heavy, featuring grilled lamb skewers, spicy sausages, stewed chicken, and sometimes all of the above, but my preference goes to vegetable couscous: a flavorsome stew of seasonal vegetables and chickpeas ladled over the steamed grain, and sprinkled with raisins and herbs.
This is a festive, communal dish that is conducive to stress-free entertaining, since the stew can be cooked in advance.
⅔ cup / 100 g golden raisins
Olive oil for cooking
2 small yellow onions (4¼ ounces / 120 g each), minced
Fine sea salt
2 tablespoons ras el hanout
1 pound / 450 g small waxy potatoes
1 pound 450 g thin carrots, cut into 2-inch 5 cm segments
7 ounces / 200 g small turnips, quartered
4 stalks celery, cut into ½-inch / 1 cm segments
2 quarts / 2 liters Vegetable Stock
1 pound / 450 g winter squash, peeled and cut into 1-inch / 2.5 cm pieces
1 pound / 450 g thin zucchini, cut into 2-inch / 5 cm segments
2 cups / 320 g cooked chickpeas (from about ⅔ cup / 125 g dried)
Extra-virgin olive oil
3 cups / 550 g whole wheat couscous
3 cups / 720 ml boiling water
1 cup / 20 g chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
1 cup / 20 g chopped fresh cilantro leaves
Harissa, homemade or store-bought
1. Soak the raisins in ½ cup / 120 ml hot water for 1 hour.
2. Heat 2 tablespoons cooking olive oil in a large stockpot over medium heat. Add the onions and ¼ teaspoon salt, and cook, stirring often to avoid coloring, until softened, about 4 minutes. Stir in the ras el hanout.
3. Add the potatoes, carrots, turnips, celery, and 1 teaspoon salt. Pour in the stock, cover, and bring to a simmer. Cook for 10 minutes at a low simmer.
4. Add the winter squash and zucchini and cook until all the vegetables are tender, about 15 minutes. Stir in two-thirds of the chickpeas and 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil. (The dish may be prepared a day ahead up to this point. Cool completely, transfer to an airtight container, and refrigerate. The next day, reheat to just below simmering.)
5. Shortly
3. Transfer the dough to a sturdy freezer bag (to be used for piping the dough), press the air out, and zip or tie it shut. (You can also store the dough in a piping bag fitted with a ½-inch / 1 cm plain tip.) Refrigerate for 1 hour or up to a day.
4. Remove the freezer bag from the fridge and snip off one corner to create a ¾-inch / 2 cm opening.
5. To poach the gnocchi, bring salted water (or broth) to a low simmer in a large saucepan. Holding the bag close to the simmering water, press gently on the dough to force it out. As soon as it forms a small log about ½ inch / 1 cm in length, trim it off with a paring knife or kitchen shears so it falls into the water; be careful not to cause a splash and burn yourself. Repeat until you’ve used up all the dough; if you’re not the most well-coordinated person on the planet, get an assistant to help you with the squeezing and snipping.
6. After 3 minutes, the gnocchi will rise back up to the surface, indicating they are done. A cooked gnocchi should feel bouncy between your fingers and will not taste like raw flour. Lift them out of the water with a slotted spoon. If you’re still busy cutting fresh gnocchi into the pan when the first ones bob back up, you can leave them in for a short while; they won’t suffer from an extra minute’s cooking.
Couscous with Vegetables
COUSCOUS WITH VEGETABLES
Couscous aux légumes
SERVES 8
Couscous is so deeply ingrained in France’s culinary landscape that it is the nation’s second favorite dish, between blanquette de veau (a creamy veal stew) and moules-frites (mussels with fries). Our colonial history and a century of rule in North Africa—for better or worse—has left us with a pronounced taste for this brothy stew served over fine wheat semolina.
The version that’s served in restaurants is meat-heavy, featuring grilled lamb skewers, spicy sausages, stewed chicken, and sometimes all of the above, but my preference goes to vegetable couscous: a flavorsome stew of seasonal vegetables and chickpeas ladled over the steamed grain, and sprinkled with raisins and herbs.
This is a festive, communal dish that is conducive to stress-free entertaining, since the stew can be cooked in advance.
⅔ cup / 100 g golden raisins
Olive oil for cooking
2 small yellow onions (4¼ ounces / 120 g each), minced
Fine sea salt
2 tablespoons ras el hanout
1 pound / 450 g small waxy potatoes
1 pound 450 g thin carrots, cut into 2-inch 5 cm segments
7 ounces / 200 g small turnips, quartered
4 stalks celery, cut into ½-inch / 1 cm segments
2 quarts / 2 liters Vegetable Stock
1 pound / 450 g winter squash, peeled and cut into 1-inch / 2.5 cm pieces
1 pound / 450 g thin zucchini, cut into 2-inch / 5 cm segments
2 cups / 320 g cooked chickpeas (from about ⅔ cup / 125 g dried)
Extra-virgin olive oil
3 cups / 550 g whole wheat couscous
3 cups / 720 ml boiling water
1 cup / 20 g chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
1 cup / 20 g chopped fresh cilantro leaves
Harissa, homemade or store-bought
1. Soak the raisins in ½ cup / 120 ml hot water for 1 hour.
2. Heat 2 tablespoons cooking olive oil in a large stockpot over medium heat. Add the onions and ¼ teaspoon salt, and cook, stirring often to avoid coloring, until softened, about 4 minutes. Stir in the ras el hanout.
3. Add the potatoes, carrots, turnips, celery, and 1 teaspoon salt. Pour in the stock, cover, and bring to a simmer. Cook for 10 minutes at a low simmer.
4. Add the winter squash and zucchini and cook until all the vegetables are tender, about 15 minutes. Stir in two-thirds of the chickpeas and 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil. (The dish may be prepared a day ahead up to this point. Cool completely, transfer to an airtight container, and refrigerate. The next day, reheat to just below simmering.)
5. Shortly
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