Couscous with onions and honey

Ingredients for 8 to 10 people :

* 500 g (1 lb 2 oz) of coarse semolina * 500 g (1 lb 2 oz) of fine sifted

* flour (see preparation) or: * 1 kg (2 lbs 3 oz) of couscous ready-prepared in a packet

* 1 chicken or 1 kg (2 lbs 3 oz) of mutton or knuckle of veal

* 1 teaspoonful of pepper * 1/2 teaspoonful of saffron (preferably crushed saffron flowers)

* 100 g (4 oz) of butter for the stock * 100 g (4 oz) of butter for mixing with the couscous after cooking

* 100 g (4 oz) of butter for browning the par-boiled onions * 3 kg (6 lbs 10 oz) of onions

* 1 stick of cinnamon * 1 teaspoonful of cinnamon * 1 glassful of honey * 5 litres (9 pts) of water * salt

Preparation: 

Put 5 litres (9 pts) of water in the lower part of the couscous steamer. Add salt, pepper, saffron, the stick of cinnamon, the chicken or meat, cut up into pieces, 2 sliced onions and 100 g (4 oz) of butter. Bring to the boil. Put the upper part of the steamer, containing the couscous, on the boiling pot. Seal the 2 parts with a strip of cloth steeped in flour and water paste so that the steam can only escape through the top. Leave to cook for half an hour after it begins to steam. Take the couscous off the boiler and pour into the gsâã, press lightly with a ladle to separate the grains of semolina.

Leave to cool and sprinkle with cold water, let the couscous air and then begin the operation again until the grains are swollen and saturated with water. Leave until all the moisture has been absorbed, Check the seasoning of the stock. If the chicken or the meat is cooked, take out of the stock, In the meantime slice the onions into rings. Bring to the boil separately and strain; then brown well in the butter and add to them the teaspoonful of cinnamon, honey and a pinch of salt. Mix for 5 minutes in the pan and then take off the heat.

Half an hour before the meal is to be served, put the pot of stock back on the heat with the couscous over the top in the upper part of the steamer. Seal the two parts. As soon as the couscous begins to steam, turn out into the gsâã, add the butter, mix well and pour over as much stock as the couscous will absorb, stirring all the time. Heap the couscous on a large round dish, form a cone, with the meat and reheated browned onions in a well in the middle. Serve at once with extra stock separately for those who prefer it.