COUSCOUS WITH CARDOONS

If there’s one couscous that deserves to be called “royal couscous”, it’s couscous with cardoons. This exclusively Kabyle dish has acquired its letters of nobility, copied and imitated but never equalled  !
Serves for 4, Cook time: 45 min
Ingredients
500g lamb
10 chard leaves
2 onions
3 large, blanched tomatoes
A handful of chickpeas, soaked the day before
Tomato concentrate
Cayenne pepper
olive oil
salt and pepper
Preparation:
Chop the onions and cut up the meat. Place in a casserole dish, season with salt and pepper ,and fry in olive oil over a medium heat for around 10 minutes.
Add the shelled tomatoes, 1 tsp cayenne pepper and a tablespoon of tomato purée. Fill the casserole dish ¾ full with water, add the chickpeas and simmer for 15 mins over a medium heat. Prepare the chard: wash carefully and cut into pieces, taking care to remove all the white ligaments. Add them to the stock and simmer for 30 mins, stirring occasionally.
Pour the couscous into a shallow dish and crumble the clumps. Stir in the butter, cover and leave to stand for 10 minutes. Serve the couscous, meat and stock separately.
To prepare the couscous semolina, proceed as usual.