Israeli Couscous and Cheese

This recipe was something I had bookmarked from the blog Food Wishes Israeli Couscous and Cheese for quite a while. I have to admit it does take balls (a lot of little balls, hee hee) to combine Israeli Couscous, with it’s lovely texture, with cheese in a version that combines risotto and macaroni and cheese and a little pimento surprise! It’s wonderful as a new twist for a side dish for a rainy day or as a fun addition to a vegetarian holiday spread.

The original recipe is here, on the video he posted: doesn’t Chef John just sound so nice and friendly? I wish he was my neighbor. He’s so humorous but clearly a great lover of food, is very knowledgeable but approachable, and puts together interesting combinations so you should check out Food Wishes, and he’s also a huge contributor to All Recipes. He may not make the most Pinterest worthy photos, but that makes him seem even more homey and a testament that even without the visuals, he delivers on taste.

Ingredients:

• 2 teaspoons melted butter or olive oil
• 1 cup Israeli couscous
• 2 cups vegetable broth
• 1/4 cup diced pimentos
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• cayenne to taste (I used about a 1/4 teaspoon but I like it spicy)
• 3 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
• 1 tablespoons of freshly sliced chives
• salt, to taste
• pepper, to taste

Directions:

1. Measure 1 cup of Israeli couscous and put in a deep saute pan to toast it with 2 teaspoons of melted butter in a pan. Don’t brown it, it should just become a bit golden.
   
2. Now add your 2 cups of vegetable broth (you can use any stock but I want this to be vegetarian so used that kind of stock – he uses chicken stock). Bring the heat up to high and once the broth and couscous is at simmer, lower the heat. Let it sit for 6 – 7 minutes as the couscous plumps up, stirring occasionally, letting the liquid evaporated while leaving all the flavor behind.
3. Turn the heat down to medium, and then stir in the 1/4 cup diced pimentos, the 1/2 cup heavy cream, and bit of cayenne pepper. Let it cook for a few more minutes until the couscous is as tender as you want it and at the texture is as thick as you want
4. Turn off the heat and add the 3 ounces of shredded sharp cheddar cheese, and then the tablespoon of chives for a bit of bite. You may want to add salt and pepper to fit your taste.
   

It is a fun textural experience – it may not have the crispiness of a baked mac and cheese, but it has the creaminess of a risotto with a little extra cheesiness.

What do you think of this take? What’s your favorite vehicle for mac and cheese – elbow pasta? rotini? shells?