Couscous with seasonal vegetables like cauliflower and artichokes, but also peppers and eggplants which are not in season at all! I liked them, they went well, and I made this exception to my rule of not buying out-of-season foods. I love preparing couscous, as a Sicilian I must admit I use it more than rice for summer salads and with the cold I like to prepare it with meat and naturally lots of vegetables.
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Economical
- Preparation time: 30 Minutes
- Portions: 8
- Cooking methods: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: All seasons
- Energy 179.70 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 23.23 (g) of which sugars 3.65 (g)
- Proteins 4.32 (g)
- Fat 8.58 (g) of which saturated 1.26 (g)of which unsaturated 0.15 (g)
- Fibers 4.12 (g)
- Sodium 322.14 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 210 g processed in an automated way starting from the nutritional information available on the CREA* and FoodData Central** databases. It is not food and / or nutritional advice.
* CREATES Food and Nutrition Research Center: https://www.crea.gov.it/alimenti-e-nutrizione https://www.alimentinutrizione.it ** U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov
Ingredients to prepare couscous with vegetables
- 17.6 oz cooked couscous
- 2 cups water
- 2 packets saffron
- 1 clove garlic
- 1.4 oz shallot
- 1 stalk celery
- 8.8 oz cauliflower
- 4 cherry tomatoes
- 1 yellow bell pepper
- 1 eggplant
- 1 artichoke
- 0.2 oz salt
- 2.5 oz extra virgin olive oil
- 1 pinch black pepper
- 1 tbsp chopped parsley
Tools to prepare couscous
- Pitcher
- Bowl
- Pan
- Peeler
- Cutting Board
- Chopper
Steps to prepare couscous
Peel the eggplant with the peeler and together with the other vegetables, cut them all very thinly using the chopper. The important thing is that only 15 minutes of cooking are needed thanks to this small cut, and of course, they remain crispy as well as cooked.
In a pitcher, open the packets of saffron and pour boiling water over them (equal to the weight of the couscous), add salt and olive oil.
Place the couscous in a bowl
and pour over the hot water in which you dissolved the saffron.
Let the couscous rest for 10 minutes, cover the bowl with a plate.
After the time has passed, fluff the couscous with a fork, or if you prefer, even with your hands.
In a pan with extra virgin olive oil, start sautéing the vegetables starting with the garlic, shallot, and celery.
Always on high heat, add the rest of the vegetables, always cut very thinly.
Stir continuously to prevent them from sticking, adjust the salt and if necessary add more oil.
In 15 minutes the vegetables will be ready. Add the couscous directly into the pan to flavor it well, obviously with the heat off.
Mix well and transfer the couscous with vegetables to a serving dish.
You can enrich your dish with chopped parsley and black pepper or if you prefer also with basil and chili pepper.
About Waste
Here, of course, zero waste, indeed this is an excellent dish to use vegetables and produce at will. There is no need to buy specifically, but to use what remains from previous preparations. You can enrich your couscous with pine nuts or finely chopped walnuts.
Here, of course, zero waste, indeed this is an excellent dish to use vegetables and produce at will. There is no need to buy specifically, but to use what remains from previous preparations. You can enrich your couscous with pine nuts or finely chopped walnuts.
