Moroccan-Inspired Roast Chicken and Couscous

A spicy, sweet, tangy dish which is a tasty, healthier alternative to a traditional roast.  Lots of ingredients but it is so worth it!
The full-flavoured spiced couscous is served with chunky pieces of juicy, harissa-scented roast chicken then topped with a rich tomato sauce made with the chicken juices.

Serves 4 generously

Ingredients

1 Whole Chicken

2 teaspoons Harissa Paste

1 clove of Garlic, minced

Salt and Black Pepper

1 tablespoon Olive Oil

1 Orange, cut into quarters

1 400g tin of Chopped Tomatoes

1 tablespoon Tomato Puree

For the Couscous

Olive Oil

1 Onion, finely chopped

half a teaspoon Cumin

half a teaspoon Cinnamon

half a teaspoon Turmeric

1 teaspoon Sweet Smoked Paprika (Pimenton)

3 cloves of Garlic, minced

Juice of an Orange

1 teaspoon Harissa

2 Red Peppers, skinned and sliced into strips *

a big handful of Sultanas

1 tablespoon Honey

200g Couscous

50g Pine Nuts

Fresh Lemon Juice

* I skin peppers by cutting them into quarters then putting them skin-side up under a hot grill until the skin is papery and black, the skin comes off easily once cooled.  If you don't want to be bothered, just leave the skin on or buy a jar of flame-grilled peppers!

• Preheat the oven to 190C.
• Sit the chicken in a roasting tin then, with a sharp knife, cut grooves into the chicken breasts and legs.  In a small bowl mix the harissa paste with the garlic, olive oil and salt and pepper.  Spoon this over the chicken and rub it all over, working it into the grooves and underneath.  Squeeze the quarters of orange into the cavity of the chicken then put them in too.
• Put the chicken into the oven for the time specified according to the weight on the packaging.  Baste it a couple of times during the cooking time.
• Toast the pine nuts in a dry frying pan until golden brown, set aside.
• To prepare the base for the couscous, pour a generous glug of olive oil into a large frying pan and tip in the onions.  On a low-medium heat gently heat the onions until softly sizzling then add the spices, cook slowly for five minutes then add the garlic, orange juice and harissa.  After another few minutes cooking, add the peppers, sultanas and honey to the pan then cook on the lowest hob setting for 10-15 minutes until thick, gooey and aromatic.  The heat can then be turned off and the onion base set aside until you are ready to make the couscous.
• When the chicken is cooked take it out of the roasting tin and put it onto a plate, cover with foil and leave it to rest.  Put the roasting tin onto a low hob and tip in the tin of chopped tomatoes, add the tomato puree then cook on a low heat, stirring to get all the unctuous chicken bits off the bottom of the tin (you can add a teaspoon of harissa at this point if you want a spicy sauce).  Continue to bubble it slowly until thick and reduced, mashing up the pieces of tomato as you go.
• To finish the couscous, reheat the onion and pepper mixture until sizzling then tip in the couscous, stir thoroughly then pour in enough boiling water to cover the couscous with about a centimetre of water above it.  Turn the heat off, cover and leave for 5 minutes.
• After this time the couscous will have absorbed all the liquid, squeeze over half a lemon then fluff it gently with a fork (you can now transfer it to a serving dish if you prefer).  Taste and add more lemon juice, salt and pepper if you need to.
• Take the meat off the chicken in big, chunky pieces and lay these over the couscous.  Spoon the thick tomato sauce over the top then sprinkle with the pine nuts and serve.
• The leftover chicken bones make a fantastically tasty stock!