Cooking During Pandemic 2: Couscous with Vegetables

Couscous with Vegetables (serves 4)

I usually find plain couscous to be dry and uninteresting. This version which is a little closer to the North African original is more substantial and quite tasty.

Couscous 3 cups
Chick peas 1 cup
Cherry tomatoes 1/2 lb.
Onion chopped, one half
Zucchini (green) 1; sliced to a 1/4 inch
Raisins 1/2 cup
Spices: nutmeg, clove, cinnamon, black pepper 1/4 tps each
Butter/Olive Oil: 4 tbps

Set oven to 400 F.  Peel, finely chop and fry onion in oil for 2-3 minutes until transleucent. Cut the cherry tomatoes in half. In a large-diameter saucepan bring 3.5 cups of water to the boil. Stir in the 3 cups of couscous until water absorbed. Add the chick peas, cherry tomatoes, zucchini, cooked onions and raisins.  Stir the mixture, season generously with salt, and add additional 1/2 water. Cover saucepan and place in 400 degree oven for 15 minutes. Finally add the ground spices and butter/olive oil and stir into couscous. If dish too dry add another 1/2 cup of water.

Variations: Other vegetables can be added, instead of, or in addition to, those listed above, such as chopped cabbage, artichoke hearts, carrots.

Cooking During Pandemic 1: Tomato Sauce

Best Tomato Sauce (4-6 servings)

This recipe is a modification of one originally published by Marcella Hazan and produces one of the best tomato sauces I have tasted. It is simple, economical and can be made quickly if you are in a hurry*. There are also many possible variations that can transform the dish into something completely different such as adding any of the following ingredients alone or in combination: (i) chopped fresh basil, (ii) tinned tuna, (iii) anchovies, (iv) olive paste.
Recipe sufficient to dress 1 lb. of pasta.  Serve with grated Parmesan cheese.

Tomatoes chopped 3 cups (fresh if in season otherwise, Pomi or other quality brand)
Olive oil 2 tbsp.
Butter 2 tbsp.
Large onion, one half peeled

Melt butter in a medium saucepan and add olive oil. Add the chopped tomatoes and onion, bring to boil and stir. Simmer at very low heat in uncovered saucepan for about 1 hour.
*If you are in a rush, you can cook sauce in about 30 minutes. After mixture has come to boil, cover saucepan and allow to bubble at low to moderate heat (make sure it does not burn) for 15 minutes, then uncover and continue at low heat for another 15 minutes.