Ingredients
Instructions
- Prepare couscous according to package directions. Let cool completely.
- Heat oil in large skillet set over medium heat; cook garlic and oregano for about 1 minute or until fragrant. Stir in tomatoes and bring to boil. Add langoustines; season with salt and pepper. Reduce heat to simmer; cook for 10 to 12 minutes or until langoustines start to become opaque and are almost cooked through.
- Remove from heat. Carefully pour in ouzo; add couscous. Return to stovetop; return to simmer. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes or until flavors are blended. (Alternatively, flambe ouzo with long match or barbecue lighter; cook for 2 minutes, covering pan with lid to extinguish flame.)
- Sprinkle feta and mint over top. Serve with lemon wedges.
What is Ouzo?
Ouzo is a grape based liquor with an anise flavor (the remnants of wine-making). Only Greece and Cyprus can make it, and besides anise, other spices could also be used. No other alcoholic beverage has a stronger cultural affinity for Greece than ouzo.Greeks are the biggest ouzo drinkers, and ouzeries (ouzo bars) often serve it with appetizers called meze. Ouzo, which is frequently consumed neat or somewhat diluted, has an extremely potent black licorice flavor that takes some getting used to. It is a strong liquor that is not recommended for the weak.
What Flavor Does Ouzo Have?
Ouzo is alluring and unforgettable, clear and smooth with a characteristic licorice flavor.
How to Drink an Ouzo
The traditional way to drink ouzo is neat, without ice, and frequently in a tall, narrow glass known as a kanoakia (similar to a highball glass). The drink becomes opaque and milky white when Greeks add iced water to decrease the potency. The anise oils are the cause of what is known as the "ouzo effect."
Cooking with Ouzo
Almost any recipe can benefit from the peculiar anise flavor that ouzo adds to cooking. Greeks utilize ouzo in a variety of recipes, from cookies to marinades for fish.
Finding Mint for Cooking
Especially in the spring and summer, fresh mint can be obtained in the fresh vegetable area of stores. Fresh large bunches of mint can be found at grocery shops and farmers' markets during the summer. Mint is relatively simple to grow and grows in profusion throughout the warm months.
Taste of Mint
Mint has a sweet flavor that is fresh, juicy, and aromatic. It leaves a lingering chilly and tingling sensation on the tongue. While spearmint tends to be sweeter, cooler, and more subdued, peppermint has a stronger peppery and menthol flavor. Try Sweet Sticky Rice with Mango and Coconut and enjoy that minty freshness.
Other Couscous Recipes
If you are looking for another couscous dish, learn how to make one of our Israeli couscous recipes.
