This meal has once again thrown me back to a trip I took with Adriano – our very first holiday together. We went to London, which was horrendously expensive in the middle of summer and we rapidly ran out of money so after sleeping in some uncomfortable dives, we realised we had just enough for one more night and decided to spend it in Paris. We caught the ferry and train across to the city of love to stay in another rather suspect lodging. The next day, the train was leaving for Torino, where we lived, in the early afternoon so we tootled off to a Moroccan restaurant to eat a meal of couscous and drank the last of our money in wine.
Merry as a couple of jungle monkeys, we looked at our watches and jumped up in horror – the train was about to depart. We set off at a flat run, laughing ourselves silly in a fog of alcohol-induced merriment at our unco-ordinated efforts to get any speed up with our packs slapping around behind us. We puffed into the train station to see the train slowly easing its way off down the platform, heading for Torino. We had no money for another night in Paris so we urged our legs to obey and took off after the train, which was gathering speed. Somehow we managed to pull up alongside a door and threw ourselves on board. This was no action hero leaping aboard a moving train in the movies. We landed in an ungainly heap, tangled up with our packs.
We eventually struggled to our feet and tumbled into the carriage. After walking the length of the train, we realised that it was completely full and settled down on the ground outside the toilet for the 6 hour trip home. Another holiday never to be forgotten.
We eat a lot of couscous and there are a myriad of different recipes, all as tasty as each other. I had some salmon left over from last night’s dinner so threw that on top for a well-rounded meal.
This recipe is not low Fodmap.
- Olive oil
- 1 tbsp butter
- 1 onion, sliced
- 1 cinnamon stick
- parsley
- 1 x 14oz can of tomatoes
- 1 cup water
- 2 carrots peeled & cut into chunks
- ½ red cabbage, sliced
- Pepper & salt
- 2 cups couscous
- Prepare the vegetables.
- Heat the oil and butter in a frying pan and heat.
- Add the onions and cook for a few minutes then add the cinnamon stick and a bunch of parsley stems. Cook until the onion is clear.
- Add the tomatoes, water, carrots, cabbage, salt and pepper to taste. Cook 15 minutes.
- Remove cinnamon stick and parsley before serving.
- Prepare the couscous as per the packet instructions and add chopped parsley at the last moment.
- Serve the vegetables over the couscous.
Hi Suzanne I never had couscous before wonder what it tastes like? looking at yours wanna surely give it a a try 🙂
Couscous is a great grain for dishes which have liquid to be absorbed – a bit like with rice.
Suzanne
What an adventurous vacation and so beautifully written. I admire your writing style. This story reminds me of my youth. My cousin and I traveled through Europe on a train when we were only 16 and encountered a lot of adventures. Unfortunately we didn’t eat much in restaurants, but rather in Youth hostels.
Couscous is not really my thing, however I love the salmon marinated with mustard, rosemary and honey – delicious.
Frank
Frank, it’s amazing what we will do when we are young and know so little of life and the world – that sense of adventure and wonder. It’s a shame it deserts us later when we know too much of what can go wrong.
Suzanne
I love couscous, what a beautiful presentation!
Thanks, Laura.
Suzanne
This looks just delicious!
It was, Jen.
Suzanne
I’m so glad you have a new facebook page. I’ve just been able to ‘like’ you. I couldn’t like your personal page. That holiday sounds very funny (in the telling of it now). I’m sure the train ride home sitting on the floor wouldn’t have been too good. But better than sleeping under a bridge in Paris for sure. I love couscous too and served with that salmon this dish would be wonderful xx
Yes, I finally decided I had to get a page.
Many of our holidays were funny – now that we can look back on them. And no, that trip was not a comfortable one, with people stepping over me to get into the smelly toilet.
Suzanne
Oh wow! what a train adventure and lovely memory 🙂
I love a dish that comes with memories and this one sounds amazing
I have many memories of many trips with all their ups and downs and food always plays a big part in the.
Suzanne
What a food story! Great food photos, too … Happy Friday 🙂
Thanks, happy Friday to you too.
Suzanne
Hu Suzanne,
Hehe, well at least it was a very memorable trip:) Something similar happened to us when on holiday in Belgium. Have you ever tried Kriek, it’s a cherry beer that tastes too good. Your couscous looks really good, love the salmon pairing. Have a great weekend!
No, I haven’t tried Kriek but it sounds interesting if you had a similar experience. I am a little more cautious these days.
Suzanne
I found you on the Food Bloggers Group, and have been checking your blog for a while. I needed to comment on it simply because salmon is possibly my favorite food on earth. I love fish, and this one is like candy to me. Next trip to the shops I will get me a slab of salmon and cook this.
Thanks for sharing, and btw, i like your photographic style.
Thanks, Clara. Unlike you, I am still new to photography but I am enjoying learning. I love that salmon is so good for you while being flavoursome and moist.
Suzanne
Salmon is the bacon of the ocean.
You can quote me on that. 🙂
Great story. And great recipe. I live in Morocco in my youth (we’re talking a long, long time ago) – thoroughly enjoyed the country and especially the food. Never had salmon there (lots of other fish, though) but I had bushels of couscous. Good stuff. thanks for this.
I think Morocco would have been better for a young man than for a young woman to live there but I would love to see it now. Maybe one day….
Suzanne
I remember having to run for a train in India, and collapsing into th ecarriage with my back pack, all puffed out from running and looking fabulously un cool and totally pink, so you’ve brought some funny meories back for me! I love couscous and would equally love this dish !
Ah, the carefree attitude of youth. I can just imagine your disheavelled appearance after that effort.
Suzanne