Brioche and Couscous!

Love these!

Brioche:
1/2 cup warm water
2-1/4 tsp dried yeast
3 Tbsp sugar
6 large eggs, at room temperature
4-1/4 cups flour
2 tsp salt
1/2 lb (2 sticks) butter at room temperature
1 egg mixed with 1 tbsp milk, for egg wash

Make sure your butter is at room temperature. it really does work better that way. Combine water, yeast and sugar, mix and let sit until risen. Add eggs and yeast mixture to the bowl of the mixer, beat on medium speed for 1 minute until well mixed with the paddle attachment. With the mixer on low speed add 2 cups of flour and the salt and mix for 5 minutes. Still on low speed, add 2 more cups of flour and mix for 5 more minutes. Still on low speed, add soft butter in chunks and mix for 2 minutes, scraping down the beat until well blended. With the mixer still running, sprinkle in remaining 1/4 cup flour. Switch paddle attachment to dough hook and mix on low speed for 2 minutes. Scrape dough into large buttered bowl and cover with saran wrap and refrigerate overnight.

In the morning, allow dough to sit at room temperature for 1 hour. Grease the loaf pans, turn the dough onto a lightly floured board and cut in half. Pat each portion into a 6x8 inch rectangle, roll each rectangle into cylindrical loaf. place each loaf into a greased pan, cover the pans with a damp cloth and set aside to rise at room temp for 2 to 2-1/2 hours until double in volume.

Preheat over to 375. When loaves have risen, brush the tops of each with egg wash, and bake for 45 minutes or until the top springs back and sounds slightly hollow when tapped. put on wire rack to cool.

Moroccan Couscous:
2 cups diced butternut squash
2 cups chopped yellow onion (2 onions)
1-1/2 cups diced carrots (4 carrots)
1-1/2 cups diced zucchini (2 medium)
2 Tbsp olive oil
salt/pepper
1-1/2 cups chicken broth
2 Tbsp butter
1/4 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp saffron threads
1-1/2 cups (10 oz) couscous
2 green onions, chopped

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Place vegetables on a baking sheet and toss with olive oil, salt and pepper. Roast for 25-30 minutes until veggies are tender. I would say that you should dice the carrots and squash pretty small and roast them for 10 minutes or so before adding the zucchini and onions to the baking sheet. Otherwise, you'll end up with sick soggy zucchini. Bleh.

Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, bring the chicken stock to a boil and turn off heat. Add butter, some salt and pepper, cumin and saffron threads and allow to steep for a few minutes. Bring the stock back to a boil, add the stock to the couscous, which you have put in a large-ish bowl. Stir, cover the bowl tightly and allow to stand at room temperature for 15 minutes. Add the roast veggies, green onions and toss with a fork.