ROASTED VEGETABLE COUSCOUS
I’m still trying to get the maximum advantage of the fresh summer vegetables until they’re all gone. It’s a great recipe. Roasted Vegetable Couscous is the ideal side dish to enjoy during the transitional season when markets are still brimming with gorgeous fresh produce. Yet, it’s not hot enough that you’re hesitant to fire up the oven. This easy side dish is simple to cook yet boasts rich and enticing flavor.
If the temperature remains not hot enough to cook your veggies using the oven, then you could cook this recipe just as quickly by grilling them outside on a grill. In either case, you’ll enjoy the delicious sweet, caramelized, smoky taste at the edges of your vegetables, which contrasts beautifully with the delightful Couscous.
WHAT IS COUSCOUS?
Couscous are small granules of durum wheat, which are steam-cooked for serving as a light and starchy addition to stews, soups, and braises. It’s a staple of North African countries like Morocco, Lybia, Tunisia, and Algeria. The pasta-like grain is now widely distributed and available across many countries, as well as many of the major supermarkets within the U.S.
There are many different kinds of Couscous. These include various sizes and shapes; all can be used in this recipe. I used a classic one, which is made with beautiful grains. Ensure you read the cooking directions on the couscous package to adjust the quantity of liquid or cooking time required to cook the specific variety you’re using.
HOW DO YOU COOK COUSCOUS?
Cooking Couscous is very simple. Put the Couscous in hot water (1 part of Couscous for 1.5 details of water). Place the lid over it tur,n off the heat, and let it remain quiet for ten minutes. The Couscous can quickly soak up hot water. After 10 minutes, you can fluff it, then serve! Couscous can be flavorful with flavorful liquids, such as the broth from vegetables I used in this recipe. The more extensive varieties of Couscous, such as Israeli Couscous or those made using semolina from whole wheat, might differ in cooking directions.
CAN I USE DIFFERENT VEGETABLES?
Yes! It is possible to use almost every vegetable at hand. However,, I prefer having at least three colors to maximize visual appeal. Other veggies that make a great mix include eggplant, yellow squash mushrooms, or broccoli. If you’re using hard vegetables such as root vegetables, you might need to cut them smaller to ensure they soften.
WHAT TO SERVE WITH ROASTED VEGETABLE COUSCOUS
This easy recipe accompanies any meat, such as Herb-Roasted Pork tenderloin, garlic-baked Baked Chicken Thighs, Chicken Piccata, or oven Baked Fish with tomatoes. To make it part of a vegetarian dinner, Serve it with marinated Portobello mushrooms and a Grilled Scallion Chickpea salad sandwich, or serve a bowl of cooked vegetable couscous with a massive dollop of Hummus and serve it with a pita!
INGREDIENTS
4 Roma tomatoes ($1.69)
Two zucchini ($1.23)
One bell pepper ($1.00)
One onion red ($0.69)
Four cloves of garlic ($0.24)
2 TBSP olive oil ($0.32)
Two pinches salt and a pinch of pepper ($0.05)
2 cups of couscous ($1.97)
3 cups vegetable broth ($0.39)
1/4 bunch of parsley ($0.24)
INSTRUCTIONS
Preheat the oven to 400°F. Cut and wash the zucchini, bell pep,per, tomatoes, and red onions into 1- up to 1.5-inch pieces. Remove four garlic cloves, but keep them intact.
Toss the chopped veggies and garlic in 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Place them on a baking sheet to ensure they’re in a single layer. Sprinkle a few tips of pepper and salt over the vegetables.
Set the vegetables in the oven to bake at 400oF around 45 minutes, mixing every few minutes until the vegetables are soft and brown around the edges.
While the vegetable roast and the Couscous is cooking, cook it. Pour the vegetable broth into the sauce pot, place a lid on top and bring it to a boil on high heat. When it is boiling, then add the Couscous. Switch off the heat and then cover the pot with the lid. Allow the Couscous to sit, unaffected, for 10 minutes. After that, you can fluff it using a fork.
When the vegetables have finished roasting, gather the four garlic cloves and chop them up. They’ll be soft. Cut the fresh parsley.
Mix the Couscous, cooked veggies (including garlic) and parsley in the bowl, then combine. Add more salt and pepper if you like. Serve cold or warm!
