Toasted Pearl Couscous with Chicken and Chickpeas
This is a great recipe, but I noticed that it is not the same as the original version that was published, which I happened to save in Evernote. The original version was seasoned with tomato paste, sumac and cinnamon rather than cumin and allspice as in the current version. Both are great, so what happened to the original?
Comments
I'm away from home and don't have access to my printed recipes. I looked up this recipe online and made this new version. The flavor profile has completely changed. While it's still a savory dish, I found this new version a disappointment. The cinnamon stick added flavor without overwhelming the dish and the sumac was such a great surprise on the palate.
If I lived on a desert island I would trade music or clothes for my Milk Street subscription. The main reason I subscribe is to find international recipes with ingredients I wouldn't ordinarily use. As a result I have fallen in love with Middle Eastern cooking (and Mediterranean! and Mexican!) and recipes like this and mujaddara and dukkah-crusted chicken have been added to our regular rotation and become familiar comfort food.
So please don't take this comment in the context of a complaint. It's just that I'm BEGGING you not to change the recipes without leaving the original online. Maybe you could offer substitutions for those who don't have sumac or za'atar at hand without actually altering the recipe?
Milk Street, the magazine, the program and the online platform are unique. I count on you to brighten our lives with new dishes and techniques from exotic places using authentic ingredients (available at my door in a day or two without ever going to the grocery) especially during the hardships of 2020. I hope you won't "dumb down" the recipes to accommodate less adventurous eaters or those who don't have a well-stocked spice rack. They are probably not your ideal customer anyway.
Along these same lines, have you considered offering your spices bundled according to cuisine or dish (or television season)? How about the best and freshest sumac, dukkah nuts, and za'atar packaged with pomegranate molasses? Or an Italian version with olive oil and rosemary from the region of the dish? A beverage or wine pairing suggestion would also be well-received in my household.
As you can see, I'm a fan. Thank you for doing what you do. I will leave you with a line seen often in high school yearbooks but used here in a heartfelt way: "Stay cool, don't change [the recipes]."
I'm away from home and don't have access to my printed recipes. I looked up this recipe online and made this new version. The flavor profile has completely changed. While it's still a savory dish, I found this new version a disappointment. The cinnamon stick added flavor without overwhelming the dish and the sumac was such a great surprise on the palate.
If I lived on a desert island I would trade music or clothes for my Milk Street subscription. The main reason I subscribe is to find international recipes with ingredients I wouldn't ordinarily use. As a result I have fallen in love with Middle Eastern cooking (and Mediterranean! and Mexican!) and recipes like this and mujaddara and dukkah-crusted chicken have been added to our regular rotation and become familiar comfort food.
So please don't take this comment in the context of a complaint. It's just that I'm BEGGING you not to change the recipes without leaving the original online. Maybe you could offer substitutions for those who don't have sumac or za'atar at hand without actually altering the recipe?
Milk Street, the magazine, the program and the online platform are unique. I count on you to brighten our lives with new dishes and techniques from exotic places using authentic ingredients (available at my door in a day or two without ever going to the grocery) especially during the hardships of 2020. I hope you won't "dumb down" the recipes to accommodate less adventurous eaters or those who don't have a well-stocked spice rack. They are probably not your ideal customer anyway.
Along these same lines, have you considered offering your spices bundled according to cuisine or dish (or television season)? How about the best and freshest sumac, dukkah nuts, and za'atar packaged with pomegranate molasses? Or an Italian version with olive oil and rosemary from the region of the dish? A beverage or wine pairing suggestion would also be well-received in my household.
As you can see, I'm a fan. Thank you for doing what you do. I will leave you with a line seen often in high school yearbooks but used here in a heartfelt way: "Stay cool, don't change [the recipes]."
Hi Peggy - We actually have several versions of the same recipe with similar names. I believe the one you are looking for is this one, which has the sumac and cinnamon. It was inadvertently taken off the website, but should be back up now. Hope that helps! Best, Lynn C.
Oh thank G0d!!! You're the best!