I buy the giant balls of couscous, known to some as mograbia, from a Middle Eastern grocery shop, but they are also available online. Many delicatessens sell a slightly smaller version – still good and perfect for this recipe. It is often labelled giant couscous. Large echalion shallots, labelled as such, are available from many supermarkets.
bought a bag of lemons, complete with their leaves – lemons so beautiful I kept them in a shallow dish in the kitchen for several days, just to look at them. I often picked them up to squeeze and sniff. I occasionally caught my finger on the sharp barbs that hide on their stems, like the thorns on roses. I pierced their skin with my thumbnail and inhaled, a smell bright and sharp and cleansing to mark the days I have always felt are the start of a new term.
The resulting confit is a preserve of sorts, but made in smaller amounts than jam or orange marmalade. It is sour in the extreme, a contrast to the sweet cake or madeleine or cookie with which it is served. I used it with almond sponge cakes in paper cases, moist and open crumbed, but also wondered about spooning the sticky condiment over a buttermilk panna cotta or spreading it on to crisp meringues before they are sandwiched with cream. They are milder than the small variety.
Slice the cornichons in half lengthways and add to the pan, with the couscous, mint leaves and olives. Finely grate the lemon over the pan, squeeze in the juice and stir in with a seasoning of salt and black pepper. Trickle a little olive oil over and serve.Tiny cakes, sweet, light and fluffy, topped with a piercingly sour lemon jam. The cakes will keep for a couple of days in an airtight tin. The confit, a marmalade-like preserve, will keep for a couple of weeks in the fridge.
Put the drained peel back into the saucepan with the sugar. Halve the lemons and the orange and squeeze the juice – there should be about 150ml. Pour the juice into the pan, then add 50ml of water and bring to the boil.
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