When cookbook author Kitty Morse moved from Casablanca, Morocco, to the United States in 1964, she says she was thrilled to explore the amazing bounty of American supermarkets. They seemed to have everything, she thought — everything, that is, but couscous. For Morse, this was a cultural and culinary disaster. As she wrote in her book “Couscous” (Chronicle Books, 2000), “What pasta is to Italians, what rice is to the Chinese, couscous is to the inhabitants ... of Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia.”

Although some people think that couscous is a grain, it is, in reality, a wheat product. It’s made by coating semolina (the inner, granular endosperm of durum wheat) with salted water and flour and extruding the mixture into tiny pellets. Sizes range from coarse (about the size of peppercorns) to extremely tiny — described by one writer quoted in Morse’s book as “the size of ants’ heads.” After it is made, couscous is dried so it can be stored indefinitely. It is then steamed before serving.

In Morse’s native country, some people — mostly women — are still making couscous by hand, a laborious and time-consuming process. But more and more frequently these days, couscous is made by large companies with machines. Generally, this mass-market couscous is presteamed, which considerably reduces cooking time at home. In the United States, presteamed couscous is the kind that is most widely available.

The couscous situation has changed dramatically since Morse first arrived more than 40 years ago. Nowadays, boxes of couscous can be found in nearly every supermarket, and even in small convenience stores and minimarts. And that’s good news for consumers, as couscous is the kind of food that dovetails well with many Americans’ efforts to eat a healthier, more varied diet. It goes beautifully with meats — especially lamb — but can also make a satisfying main-course dish.

A recent spate of new cookbooks — none of them “ethnic” but all of them worldly — features couscous prominently. The recipes here come from “Vegetarian Times Fast and Easy” by the editors of Vegetarian Times magazine (Wiley, 2008) and from “The New York Times Country Weekend Cookbook” edited by Linda Amster (St. Martin’s Press, 2008). The final recipe comes from a new book called “Without Reservations” by Joey Altman (Wiley, 2008).

In his book, Altman suggests toasting couscous before cooking it to bring out flavors and help absorb liquids. Before you start each recipe, feel free to add this step: Simply pour the uncooked couscous into a dry skillet set over medium-heat, and cook, gently shaking the pan, for about 3 minutes, or until the couscous begins smell toasty. Allow to cool before using.

MIDDLE EASTERN COUSCOUS SALAD WITH FETA AND MINT

1-1/3 cups uncooked tomato, spinach or plain couscous

4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

2 red or green jalapeno chilies, stemmed, seeded and minced

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon ground coriander

2 cloves garlic, minced

sea salt or kosher salt, to taste

1-1/2 cups ready-to-eat fresh or frozen (and thawed) shelled edamame (see Cook’s note)

2 cups boiling water

1-1/2 pints cherry tomatoes

1 packed cup fresh mint leaves, coarsely chopped

6 scallions, trimmed and thinly sliced

1-1/2 teaspoons lemon zest

juice of half a lemon

1 cup crumbled feta cheese

tender lettuce leaves, such as Bibb, rinsed and dried

oil-cured olives, for garnish (optional)

Cook’s note: Edamame (“ed-ah-MAH-may”) are green (not dried) soybeans. While the fresh beans, in their fuzzy pods, are still hard to come by in American markets, most supermarkets of any size carry them, shelled and frozen, in the frozen-food aisle.

Combine couscous, 1 tablespoon of the oil, the jalapenos, cumin, coriander, garlic and a bit of salt in a large bowl; whisk together until the couscous is evenly coated. Scatter the edamame on top and pour on the boiling water. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap. Let stand 5 minutes until the water is absorbed. Uncover the bowl, fluff the mixture with a fork and cool completely.

In the meantime, halve the tomatoes. Put them in a large bowl. Add the mint, scallions and lemon zest. Add the cooled couscous mixture with the remaining 3 tablespoons oil, the lemon juice and salt to taste. Toss to combine. Add the feta and gently toss.

Line 6 plates with lettuce leaves and top with the couscous. Garnish with olives, if using, and serve.

Yield: 6 servings

Recipe from “Vegetarian Times Fast and Easy” by the editors of Vegetarian Times (Wiley, 2008)

COUSCOUS SALAD

6 cups chicken stock

9 tablespoons olive oil

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1/4 teaspoon saffron

3 cups uncooked couscous

3/4 cup currants

3/4 cup chopped pitted dates

2-1/4 cups finely diced celery

1-1/2 cups finely diced carrots

1 cup minced scallions

1/2 cup minced parsley

2-1/4 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

3/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

3/4 cup toasted pine nuts

The day before you are planning to serve this dish, bring the stock, 6 tablespoons of the oil, the ginger and saffron to a boil in a saucepan. Add the couscous and boil until the liquid begins to be absorbed. Remove from the heat and fold in the currants and dates. Cover and let stand for 15 minutes. Add the celery, carrots and scallions. Mix well.

In a small bowl, combine the parsley, lemon juice, salt, cinnamon and remaining 3 tablespoons oil. Toss well with the couscous, breaking up any clumps. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

Bring to room temperature. Adjust the seasonings and sprinkle with the pine nuts.

Yield: 16 servings

Recipe from “The New York Times Country Weekend Cookbook” edited by Linda Amster (St. Martin’s Press, 2008)