This is another recipe from my grandma's Algeria cookbook. For more information on couscous, see the Couscous Algerois recipe.

Ingredients

• 1 kg rolled couscous (or equivalent amount of instant couscous)
• 1 1/2 kg leg of lamb or mutton
• 2 onions
• 1/2 cup oil
• 1/2 cup Smen (I don't know what smen is – use butter)
• Black pepper
• Cinnamon
• Salt
• 6 hard-boiled eggs
• 1/2 cup raisins
• 1/2 cup pralines
• a handful of hard candies
• "silver balls" decorative candies
• orange blossom water

Directions

1. Heat the meat, cut into serving pieces, for five minutes in oil and smen with the chopped onion, pepper, cinnamon and salt.
2. Add 1 liter (1 quart) of water and let cook
3. Steam the couscous over the broth (or: prepare couscous according to directions on box)
4. Butter the couscous with 3 tbsp of smen
5. Skim the fat from the sauce and mix it into the couscous
6. Flavor with orange blossom water
7. Mound the couscous on a silver platter and garnish with meat and sliced eggs
8. Sprinkle with raisins, pralines, hard candies, and silver balls
9. In season, accompany this with small plates of seedless grapes, watermelon, or melon.

This recipe was submitted by Annie on January 29, 2005.