Spinach and Asparagus Moghrabiyyeh with Seared Scallops

Moghrabiyyeh is a Middle Eastern grain resembling couscous, only it is larger, like a pearl. Its name actually refers back to regular couscous and means “the North African dish”. Like its Maghreb cousin, the little pearls are also made of semolina and toasted, which gives them a nice nutty flavor. My favorite way to cook it is in a verdant spinach broth, which gives it so much more flavor than plain water. I was excited to find organic asparagus at my local health food store and decided to add it to the dish for more seasonal flavor. The idea for cooking the grain in a green broth comes from Mexican cooking, where cilantro, parsley, and epazote are often used to give rice a green tinge.

I bought the spinach at the Greenmarket the other day, only 2 loose cups or so. I brought 4 cups of vegetable broth to a boil, added the rinsed spinach and then blended it together. I took a handful of asparagus (about ½ of the standard size bunch), and broke off their bottoms. Asparagus has a natural breaking point near the bottom, which you only have to gently tug on in order to snap off the thick bottom. I then finely chopped the stalks and left the spears whole. I blanched the chopped stalks in salted water, drained them, and shocked them in cold water. I took ½ of a medium onion and chopped it very finely. To begin the preparation, I heated up about 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a pot and added the onions along with 1 clove of garlic to sweat. When they were translucent I added about ½ teaspoon of ground coriander and just a dash of cumin. This is an optional step, but I love coriander in my green dishes, and then when I put coriander in there, I always feel the need to add a dash of cumin. I tipped in the moghrabiyyeh, which you must rinse first to rid it of its starch, and gave it all a good stir. I then poured in an ample 2 cups of the spinach broth and brought it to a boil. Once it boiled, I covered the pot and turned down the heat to a simmer and let it cook for 30 minutes, or until it the broth was fully absorbed. I turned off the heat and then stirred in the chopped asparagus (reserving the spears).

We ate this for lunch with seared scallops, which my mother prepared. The spears made a lovely garnish, but you can also just stir them in with the rest of it. Emma had mentioned the need for more side dishes the other day, and I thought that this would be a great one for people to have on hand in the Spring, when you want everything on your plate to be green and vibrant. I have posted the recipe in our recipe bank, so you can look it up here.

Enjoy!