Couscous with Rutabaga & Beef Stew

 

In this riff on North African tradition, couscous is served as the base for a beef and rutabaga stew that’s made with an intoxicating blend of cinnamon, turmeric, coriander and cayenne (optional if you don’t like it spicy). Garnish with fresh parsley or cilantro and serve with sliced cucumber.

Ingredients

• 1 pound sirloin or strip steak, trimmed and cut into 1-inch cubes
• 1/2 teaspoon salt, divided
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• 1 pound rutabaga (about 1/2 medium), cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
• 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 3 cups reduced-sodium beef broth
• 1 cup water
• 2/3 cup whole-wheat couscous

Preparation

1. Sprinkle steak with 1/4 teaspoon salt and pepper. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the steak and cook, stirring frequently, until no longer pink on the outside, about 4 minutes. Transfer to a plate.
2. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil to the pan over medium heat. Add rutabaga, onion, tomato paste, cinnamon, turmeric, coriander, cayenne (if using) and the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt; cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion begins to soften, about 4 minutes. Add flour and cook, stirring, 1 minute more. Add broth and bring to a boil over medium-high heat, scraping up any brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the rutabaga is tender and the stew is thickened, 10 to 14 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, bring 1 cup water to a boil in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Add couscous, cover and remove from the heat. Let stand for 5 minutes.
4. When the rutabaga is tender, return the steak to the stew, along with any accumulated juice from the plate. Reduce the heat to medium and cook until the steak is cooked through, about 2 minutes more.
5. To serve, fluff the couscous with a fork and divide among 4 shallow bowls. Top with equal portions of the stew.

Nutrition

Per serving: 392 calories; 12 g fat ( 3 g sat , 7 g mono ); 64 mg cholesterol; 41 g carbohydrates; 0 g added sugars; 31 g protein; 8 g fiber; 754 mg sodium; 847 mg potassium.
Nutrition Bonus: Vitamin C (47% daily value), Zinc (31% dv), Potassium (24% dv), Iron (20% dv)
Carbohydrate Servings: 2
Exchanges: 2 starch, 1 vegetable, 3 lean meat, 1 1/2 fat