Not eating meat? No problem! Ultimate winter couscous is one of my favourite recipes by an Israeli chef Yoram Ottolengi. It is easy, delicious and can be served cold the next day too. I love couscous, but for lower calorie meal I often substitute it for quinoa.
Ingredients
2 medium carrots, peeled and cut into 2cm chunks 2 medium parsnips, peeled and cut into 2cm chunks 8 shallots, peeled 2 cinnamon sticks 4 star anise 3 bay leaves 5 tbsp olive oil ½ tsp ground ginger ¼ tsp ground turmeric ¼ tsp hot paprika ¼ tsp chili flakes 300g pumpkin or butternut squash, peeled and cut into 2cm chunks 75g dried apricots, roughly chopped 200g chickpeas (canned or freshly cooked) 350ml chickpea cooking liquid and/or water 170g couscous or quinoa large pinch of saffron threads 260ml boiling vegetable stock 20g butter, broken into pieces 25g harissa paste
Method
Preheat the oven to 190°C/Gas Mark 5. Place the carrots, parsnips and shallots in a large ovenproof dish. Add the cinnamon sticks, star anise, bay leaves, 4 tablespoons of the oil, ¾ teaspoon salt and all the other spices and mix well. Place in the oven and cook for 15 minutes. Add the pumpkin, stir and return to the oven. Continue cooking for about 35 minutes, by which time the vegetables should have softened while retaining a bite. Now add the dried apricots and the chickpeas with their cooking liquid and/or water. Return to the oven and cook for a further 10 minutes, or until hot. About 15 minutes before the vegetables are ready, put the couscous in a large heatproof bowl with the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil, the saffron and ½ teaspoon salt. Pour the boiling stock over the couscous. Cover the bowl with cling film and leave for about 10 minutes. Then add the butter and fluff up the couscous with a fork until the butter melts in. Cover again and leave somewhere warm.
For lower calorie higher protein dish, use cooked quinoa instead of couscous: Rinse the #quinoa under cold running water to remove its bitter flavour.Tip into a pan and add double the amount of salted water. Place over a medium heat and bring to the boil. Reduce to a simmer for 10 to 15 minutes, or until tender and the liquid is absorbed.
To serve, spoon couscous or quinoa into a deep plate or bowl. Stir the harissa and preserved lemon into the vegetables; taste and add salt if needed. Spoon the vegetables onto the centre. Finish with plenty of coriander leaves.
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