You could label this as a type of pilaf, or you could call this lamb couscous; what matters is that it’s quick and easy. A single pot and minimal clean-up (I’m not a big fan of washing dishes) make life easy, and this is a wonderful dish to put together during a busy week. What makes this recipe quick is the use of ground American lamb and couscous. Neither requires a lot of time to prepare. A second advantage to using ground lamb, you don’t need to marinate the meat and wait; add and cook, and the meat absorbs the flavors from the ingredients and the spices. Just like the lamb, the couscous will cook quickly and come together in no time. I’ll sometimes bulk this up with chickpeas, beans, or dried fruit to make it more celebratory when we’ve got company. It’s a dish with a framework you can easily build off and make your own. I’ve used American lamb because of the strong commitment of the farmers to raise their animals ethically and humanely. In addition, the farmers have been doing their utmost to support their local communities, and if anything, this past year has demonstrated the importance of supportive networks.
