The Roasted Vegetable Couscous is so flexible—you can make it with whatever you’ve got and it feeds a lot of folks. Start off with a grain, and add a bunch of roasted vegetables—such as zucchini, peppers, eggplant, onion, Brussels sprouts—and then add the dressing and crumble feta on top. I made it once when my son brought a vegetarian girlfriend to the cottage, so that I knew there would be something she’d enjoy.
Roasted Vegetable Couscous
Jane Rodmell
Couscous—flour coated semolina—is a handy grain, since it is easily prepared and can be combined with many flavours. Look for it in bulk-food stores and in boxes in the supermarket. (Read the preparation instructions, since some types have been precooked.) This salad is an excellent side dish with any grilled food, and a great main dish for a picnic when piled into pita-bread pockets. Pack it in a container for travelling, spoon it into the pita breads when it’s time to eat.
- 1 medium eggplant sliced
- 2 zucchini sliced
- 1 large red onion sliced or cut in eighths
- 2 sweet peppers seeded and cut in quarters
- 2 cloves garlic finely chopped
- 4 tbsp olive oil divided
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
- ¾ cup Grilled Tomato Vinaigrette
- 1 cup couscous
- 1 cup hot vegetable or chicken stock
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 4 oz feta or goat cheese crumbled
- parsley finely chopped
Toss vegetables with garlic, 3 tbsp of the oil, and a little salt and pepper. Arrange vegetables on a preheated barbecue and grill for about 5–10 minutes per side over medium-high heat until tender and lightly browned. Note: a roasted plum tomato is required for the vinaigrette, so grill it at the same time as the other vegetables.
Meanwhile, place couscous in a large bowl, cover with hot stock, and leave for 5 minutes. When all the liquid is absorbed, fluff grains with a fork. Liven flavour with the lemon juice and remaining olive oil.
Cut the vegetables into small pieces and toss with couscous and Grilled Tomato Vinaigrette. Season to taste and scatter cheese and parsley on top.
Keyword couscous, grilled vegetables, vegetarian
Grilled Tomato Vinaigrette
Jane Rodmell
- 1 plum tomato
- ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- ½ tsp ground cumin
- pinch cayenne
- ¼ tsp salt
- black pepper
- ¼ cup balsamic vinegar or half lemon juice, half vinegar
Cut the tomato in half and rub with a little of the oil and salt and pepper. Set on grill over low heat for about 10–12 minutes, turning once.
Peel blackened skin off tomato and squeeze out seeds. You should have about 1 tbsp of pulp.
Add cumin, cayenne, salt, and a few grinds of pepper to the pulp and pound to a paste. Whisk in vinegar and remaining oil.
Keyword dressing, tomatoes
These recipes appeared in our June/July ’22 issue.
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