This was downright inspired. The couscous was the “Israeli” couscous from Whole Foods, which is larger than most of the couscous you get in boxes at the store. I prepared it per the directions, with the addition of a few splashes of lemon juice and some fresh dill we had in the fridge from a previous meal. Frankly, I can’t imagine eating plain couscous without dill and lemon juice. What were they thinking not mentioning those additions in the directions?
Anyway, the chicken was off the cuff. I cut it into strips and sauteed it in olive oil, sprinkling with a homemade spice blend of tarragon, oregano, onion powder, salt, black pepper, and paprika. It came out great. I added some diced tomatoes after the chicken was thorough cooking and kept the heat on low until the tomatoes were hot.
The beer was Sam Adams White Ale, their take on a Belgian witbier. Witbiers are typically spiced with coriander and bitter orange peel. SA’s version seems to have a little more going on, but it’s still rather citrusy, which is why I chose it to pair with a dish that included lemon juice.
And it was fantastic. Perfect. Divinely inspired. Lots of bright spiciness and citrus overtones from actual citrus in both the food and the beer.
Tags: couscous, Samuel Adams, White Ale
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