This is an adaptation of the whole chicken with couscous and bulgur wheat on my website, made with cute little poussins this time. Salt them the day before, just as I do my chicken. It all happens in one pot, and I go for two tablespoons of harissa because I like to be slapped around the face a bit with my food.
Ingredients
- 2 poussins salted all over the day before, patted dry
- 1 splash olive oil or chicken schmaltz
- 1 large onion finely chopped (or 1 small onion and 1 shallot)
- 500 ml chicken stock hot
- 2 fat cloves garlic finely sliced or chopped
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1/2 tsp ground coriander
- 30 ml white wine or vermouth
- black pepper
- 1-2 tbsp harissa paste
- 100 g couscous
- 60 g bulgur wheat
- 1 small handful mint leaves
- 1 small handful coriander leaves
- lamb's lettuce to serve
- lemon wedges to serve
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180°C. Heat the oil (and a little schmaltz if you have it) in a casserole dish with a lid that can go on the hob and in the oven. Brown the poussins all over, then set aside.
- Lower the heat, add the onion and cook for 5–7 minutes until soft and lightly caramelised. Meanwhile, heat the stock.
- Add the garlic, cumin and coriander and stir for a few seconds until fragrant.
- Turn up the heat, add the wine or vermouth and let it bubble away completely, scraping the bottom of the pan.
- Pour in the hot stock and bring to the boil, then lower to a simmer. Season the poussins with pepper and sit them in the liquid – they shouldn't be covered.
- Cook uncovered in the oven for 30 minutes, until the thigh reaches 74°C or the juices run clear. Give them another 5 minutes if needed.
- Lift out the poussins and rest them loosely covered with foil.
- Stir the harissa into the liquid, add pepper and taste for salt.
- Sprinkle in the couscous and bulgur wheat and stir gently. Return the poussins with their resting juices, put the lid on and bake for 5 minutes.
- Leave to stand, lid on, for another 5 minutes without peeking.
- Remove the poussins, add the mint and coriander and fluff everything with a fork.
- Cut the poussins in half with a sharp knife and serve on the couscous with lamb's lettuce and a wedge of lemon.
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