Couscous Carbonara

Last week in class we learned all about grains and cooking methods. Many of the cooking methods can be applied to the same product with very different results. The prime example is rice pilaf versus risotto. You can use the some rice for both of these and have very different results. When making dinner last weekend, I decided to apply the risotto method to some Israeli couscous, which I have never worked with before. The basic principle behind the risotto method is to cook the grain in small amounts of liquid and stir so that the starches are released and the grain becomes creamy. It is an interesting misconception that risotto is extremely unhealthy because it is so creamy, but it is mostly due the the starches in the grain and sometimes a little cheese.
This dish is great and may not be extremely healthy, but it also isn't as bad as a traditionally carbonara because the creaminess mostly comes from the cooking method. You could try any flavor combinations you want using this method of cooking, so get creative!

Couscous Carbonara

Servings: 4

Prep Time: 5 mins
Cook Time: 30 mins
Total Time: 35 mins

Ingredients
1 cup Israeli couscous
up to 4 cups chicken stock
2-3 strips of bacon
1 small onion, diced
1/3 cup peas (frozen)
1 egg yolk
1/4 cup grated parmesan
salt and pepper to taste

Directions
Place chicken stock in a pot and bring to a boil. Meanwhile, cut bacon strips to a small dice. In a large, heavy bottomed pan over medium heat, cook the bacon until it it crispy. Remove from heat, but do not discard the fat in the pan. Add the onion to the pan. Sautee until soft and lightly browned. Add the couscous and cook until lightly toasted, about 3 minutes. Start by adding about 1 cup of the chicken stock to the pan and stirring almost constantly. When most of the liquid is absorbed add more. Keep doing this until the couscous is tender and creamy. It should be about 4 cups of liquid but if you find you need more then using water is just fine. Add the peas when the couscous is done or nearly done just to defrost them. Just before serving add the bacon back in and add the yolk and cheese. Fully incorporate so that the heat from the couscous cooks the egg. Serve immediately.