Monday, July 26, 2010

Couscous with Summer Vegetables

Lately I've been feeling like eating very lightly. It's probably the combination of overdoing it a little while in Sicily a few weeks ago and also the hot weather, which tends to make me lose my appetite.

Tonight I made a simple whole wheat couscous with some sautéed vegetables. Paul and I found a big natural foods market today just outside of the city walls of Bologna, so that is where we got the couscous.

I got the inspiration for the dish from a biodynamic cooking class I did with Slow Food Bologna where we made couscous, and also from visiting the Trapani area in Sicily, where couscous is one of the specialties.

One of the new things I learned in the cooking class is that the couscous comes out better if you toast it first. I had never done this in the States before.

Below are two different presentation options for what I made, followed by the approximate recipe. I am more of an intuitive cook, so I encourage you to use your judgment and do what sounds good and looks right to you rather than measuring out the exact quantities I approximated below. Many other vegetables and herbs could be used instead.




Ingredients:

Couscous

2 cups dry whole wheat couscous

2 1/2 cups boiling water, or the proportional amount specified on the box

1/4 cup olive oil

Salt to taste

Vegetables

2 Tbs olive oil, or enough to cover the bottom of the pan

3 shallots, thinly sliced

2 cloves garlic, smashed

Fresh herbs: I used a sprig of rosemary and a handful of fresh sage, both chopped

3 small zucchini, sliced lengthwise and then diagonally into thin half moons

3 small carrots, thinly sliced about the same size as the zucchini

1 large heirloom tomato (or a few smaller ones), cut into cubes

Salt to taste

Garnish

1/4 cup toasted pine nuts


Directions:

In a small saucepan, heat the water to a simmer, as you will need it for the couscous.

Meanwhile, start the vegetables:

1) In a large sauté pan, heat the olive oil

2) Add shallots and garlic and sauté until fragrant

3) Add the zucchini and fresh herbs and cook on medium high heat until the zucchini are lightly browned. Remove from the pan and set aside. (I don't like soggy zucchini so I think it is best if you cook them on their own.)

4) Add the sliced carrots to the pan along with a little more olive oil if needed. Stir fry until they start to brown.

5) Add the tomatoes and continue to cook until the carrots are just starting to be tender.

6) Return the zucchini mixture to the pan, toss with the carrots and tomatoes, and add salt to taste. Remove the garlic cloves. Cover and set aside.

Start slowly toasting the pine nuts in another skillet for the topping. Meanwhile, make the couscous:

1) In a medium saucepan, heat half of the olive oil, about 2 tablespoons, on medium heat.

2) Add the couscous and toast it until some of the grains are golden brown.

3) Turn off heat and add the boiling water.

4) Cover and set aside for about 10 minutes.

5) Open the lid, fluff the couscous with a fork, and add the remaining olive oil and salt to taste.

Assemble:

1) Either mound the couscous into a cappuccino mug (about 1 measuring cup size) for each serving and invert onto a plate or shallow bowl, or simply spoon about a cup onto each plate.

2) If using the mold, spoon the vegetable mix around the couscous, or simply spoon it on top of the couscous.

3) Top with freshly toasted pine nuts.

Prep/cooking time: about 20 minutes. Serves 4.