A Couscous with peas and sun-dried tomatoes presented as finger food.
Couscous is indispensable in the kitchen once warm weather arrives. It comes together in a flash and can be enriched with seasonal vegetables. In this recipe it’s combined with little peas, sun-dried cherry tomatoes and tofu, for a completely plant-based appetizer.
The contrast between the sweetness of the peas and the savory punch of the sun-dried tomatoes is a classic that never gets old.
I like to prepare small pre-portioned appetizers when I have guests; they are also ideal for a buffet or standing dinner. I find this solution convenient because it allows you to enjoy a complete dish without needing cumbersome cutlery.
Whole grains, couscous or bulgur are ideal choices.
If prepared in advance they absorb flavors better and, at the last minute, you only need to portion them into little ramekins or ceramic tasting spoons.
Here are a few more grain-salad-style recipes like this one:
- Difficulty: Very easy
- Cost: Very inexpensive
- Preparation time: 10 Minutes
- Cooking time: 20 Minutes
- Portions: 4 people
- Cooking methods: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: All seasons
Ingredients
- 1 1/4 cup whole wheat couscous (dry) (whole)
- 1 1/4 cup vegetable broth (or lightly salted water)
- 2/3 cup peas (steamed)
- 6 sun-dried tomatoes in oil
- 3.5 oz tofu (grilled)
- 1 pinch unrefined sea salt
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 pinch fresh ginger
- 1 pinch oregano
- 1 tbsp sunflower seeds
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 5 drops fig reduction (optional)
Tools
- 12 Spoons
Preparation
Cut the grilled tofu into very small cubes and set aside. If you have plain tofu, after cutting it into cubes prepare a marinade by combining two tablespoons of organic soy sauce with the juice of one lemon and a pinch of powdered ginger in a bowl.
Add the tofu to the marinade, mix, seal and refrigerate for about half an hour. Then quickly sear or grill the tofu cubes.
Steam the peas and slice the sun-dried tomatoes.
Prepare the couscous: toast the dry couscous in a pan for a few minutes.Pour in the hot broth and one teaspoon of oil and cook over medium heat for one minute. Turn off the heat and let it rest (absorb) for 5 minutes.
Fluff well with the tines of a fork and transfer to a bowl. Add the grilled tofu, the sun-dried tomatoes, the peas, adjust salt and pepper, and if you have any leftover tofu marinade add that as well.
Sprinkle with oregano and some sunflower seeds and portion into the tasting spoons for finger food. Refrigerate until serving and drizzle a few drops of fig reduction or balsamic glaze if desired.
History of couscous
One of the earliest written references to couscous comes from an anonymous author of a cookbook from al-Andalus, Muslim Spain of the 13th century, the Kitāb al-tabīkh fī al-Maghrib wa l-Andalus, which gives a recipe for couscous. Couscous was also known in the Nasrid sultanate of Granada. Also in the 13th century a Syrian historian from Aleppo mentions couscous on four occasions. These very early citations show that couscous spread quickly, but generally it was especially common in the western Islamic world up to Tripolitania, while further east, from Cyrenaica onwards, the cuisine was more of the Egyptian type, where couscous was only an occasional dish. Today, couscous is known in Egypt and the Near East, but in Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia, couscous is the staple dish. In Catalan it appears in the novel Tirant lo Blanch (1464) under the name “cuscusó”. One of the earliest references to couscous in northern Europe is in Brittany, in a letter dated January 12, 1699. But long before that it had already appeared in Provence, where the traveler Jean Jacques Bouchard writes of having eaten it in Toulon in 1630. (wikipedia)
How do you keep it loose and not compact?
The secret is manual fluffing with a fork immediately after hydration and the addition of a drizzle of good extra virgin olive oil, which separates the grains well.
Is this suitable for someone following a vegan diet?
Absolutely yes! This finger food is 100% plant-based, free of animal derivatives, making it perfect for guests with different dietary needs.
Can it be prepared well in advance?
Yes, indeed: preparing it a few hours ahead gives the couscous time to absorb all the flavors of the sun-dried tomatoes and the mint (or basil), making it even more flavorful.
What is the best way to serve it as finger food?
It can be served in elegant small glass cups (verrines), on ceramic tasting spoons for finger food, or even inside small crunchy endive leaves.
Are the sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil or rehydrated in water?
I use organic sun-dried tomatoes, gently patted to remove excess oil.
