In The Kitchen

In The K tchen Sesame Couscous Chicken

By Naomi Nachman

It was so exciting when Near East products asked to do a collaboration with me as I use them in my cooking competitions. I use the couscous in the mystery baskets because it can be an open canvas for any chef to season. Over the years, I have seen so many of my competitors use the product in super-creative ways. For example, rather than using it as a side dish, use the couscous as a coating for chicken (or salmon). It cooks up so fast and in just a few minutes you have that big crackle sound.

Photo credit: Melinda Strauss Ingredients 1 ½ pounds thinly sliced boneless skinless chicken breasts 2-3 large eggs, whisked 1 box Near East Couscous Original 2 tablespoons white sesame seeds 2 tablespoons black sesame seeds ¾ cup flour 2 lemons for zest 1 tsp kosher salt Canola oil, for frying

Preparation

Prepare three bowls: one with flour; one with uncooked couscous together with the sesame seeds, salt, pepper and zest from two lemons; and a third bowl with eggs.

Begin by coating one chicken breast in flour. Then coat with egg mixture (let excess egg drip off), and then coat with the couscous mixture

Set chicken on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Wait 30 minutes before frying. This helps the coating really stick to the chicken.

Heat a large frying pan with enough oil to come about ¼ inch up the sides of the pan. When the oil is hot, fry for about 3 minutes on each side or until golden brown.

Place cooked chicken on paper towels to soak up excess oil.

Serve immediately.

Naomi Nachman, the owner of The Aussie Gourmet, caters weekly and Shabbat/ Yom Tov meals for families and individuals within The Five Towns and neighboring communities, with a specialty in Pesach catering. Naomi is a contributing editor to this paper and also produces and hosts her own weekly radio show on the Nachum Segal Network stream called “A Table for Two with Naomi Nachman.” Naomi gives cooking presentations for organizations and private groups throughout the New York/New Jersey Metropolitan area. In addition, Naomi has been a guest host on the QVC TV network and has been featured in cookbooks, magazines as well as other media covering topics related to cuisine preparation and personal chefs. To obtain additional recipes, join The Aussie Gourmet on Facebook or visit Naomi’s blog. Naomi can be reached through her website, www.theaussiegourmet.com or at (516) 295-9669.