Pea and Mint Couscous with Yuzu Chicken Yakitori Recipe

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Ingredients

For the Couscous:

• Equal amounts Couscous and chicken stock (I used 100ml)
• handful of mint, chopped
• handful of parsely, chopped
• 3 slices of pancetta, diced
• handful of peas
• lemon juice
• olive oil

For the Yakitori:

• one chicken breast, scored and cut into chunks
• cherry tomatoes
• wooden skewers

For the marinade:

• one clove of garlic, finely chopped
• teaspoon of yuzu kosho
• squeeze of lemon juice
• olive oil
• splash of white wine vinegar
• freshly ground salt and pepper to taste

How to make Pea and Mint Couscous with Yuzu Chicken Yakitori

Here's a dish I'll be making for a dinner party soon. The yakitori would be great done over a BBQ if you have one handy - they have a wonderful summer taste. The Couscous recipe has been "borrowed" from a certain Gordon Ramsay...

Serves 1 (Couscous and approx. 3 skewers).

1. Mix all the ingredients for the marinade together - the base ingredient is the olive oil, so you only need very sparing amounts of vinegar and lemon juice. Mix the chicken chunks with the marinade and reserve in the fridge for at least 1 hour.

2. Fry the pancetta off in a pan with a little olive oil until crisp. Drain the fragrant, smoky oil and keep aside in a cup, reserve the crisp pancetta.

3. Put the chicken on the skewers with the tomatoes. Griddle or grill the skewered chicken evenly on all sides. Baste with the marinade during cooking. When cooked through, set aside to drain.

4. Put the couscous in a bowl and pour on the boiling stock and pancetta oil. Cover immediately. Whilst waiting, put the peas on the boil for a couple of minutes. Drain the peas when ready (will take about 2 mins) and keep aside.

5. After 5 mins or so the couscous will be ready. Uncover, fluff it up with a fork and add the drained peas, pancetta, chopped parsley and mint. Season with a splash of lemon juice, freshly ground salt and pepper and apply a generous lashing of olive oil. Mix well and serve with the yakitori.

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  rachel says

  very nice combination. one suggestion though - if you're doing this over a barbecue, be sure to soak the skewers in water beforehand so they don't burn!

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  telliecoin says

  nice! but.. what would you suggest in place of couscous I like spearing things and barbecuing them as much as the next person but not couscous

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  JaiLovesCake says

  finally tellie , someone else who doesnt like couscous. it tastes like tiny rubber balls to me.

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  tommy says

  Very appealing to the eyes! How about podded edamame in place of peas to follow through with the Japanese marinade in the chicken?

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  yongfook says

  I was thinking exactly the same thing!

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  telliecoin says

  high 5 jai!

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  theory says

  If you don't like couscous, you could always substitute hundreds of tiny rubber balls. Or even some brown rice cooked with dashi, gobo (burdock), carrot, shiitake and tommy's podded edamame. Something like that. (But be sure to fluff the rice and let it sit for a bit before serving.) @yongfook - great looking recipe.

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  dubow says

  I just made this and it was yummeh indeed! Cheers my dear.

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  DivaChef says

  This looks great! I don't know id I can find yuzu, though. For those who don't like regular cous cous, have you tried Israeli cous cous? The pieces are bigger and more like pasta. It doesn't get gummy.

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  Flippymar says

  Looks yummy, I've been meaning to try some couscous.

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